Tantramar, New Brunswick

Cookville
Solar

A 150 MW renewable energy project bringing clean electricity to the New Brunswick grid — developed in partnership with the local community.

150MW Project Capacity
12,500 Homes Powered
62k CO₂ Tonnes Saved/Yr
About the Project

Clean Energy for Future Generations

BD Solar Cookville is a 150 MW utility-scale solar energy project located in the Cookville area of New Brunswick's Tantramar region, approximately 20 km northeast of Sackville.

The project will be developed west of Centre Village, alongside the Cookville Road — on land that has been stewarded by a local farming family for generations. The transmission infrastructure already present in the area makes Cookville an ideal site to deliver clean renewable electricity.

When complete, the project will generate enough clean electricity to power approximately 12,500 homes, offset 62,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually, and take the equivalent of 14,000 cars off the road each year.

Cookville transmission corridor
Transmission line at Cookville Solar site
⚡
12,500
Homes powered with clean electricity annually
🌿
62k
Tonnes of CO₂ avoided every year
🚗
14,000
Equivalent cars removed from roads annually
Our Developers

Built on Partnership

Cookville Solar is being co-developed by BNRG Renewables and the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council — a partnership that brings together deep solar expertise and a firm commitment to Indigenous-led economic development in New Brunswick.

BNRG team members
BNRG Directors at a BNRG solar site in Ireland
BNRG Renewables
Solar Developer

BNRG is a leading renewables developer with a track record of delivering utility-scale solar projects across the State of Maine, Ireland, UK, and Australia. With deep experience in project development, financing, and construction, BNRG brings the technical capability and institutional knowledge to develop Cookville Solar responsibly and to the highest standard.

Visit bnrg.ie →
North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council Energy Services Team
North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council Energy Services Team
North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council
Indigenous Partner

The North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council serves seven First Nations communities in New Brunswick. Through its Sovereign Wealth Fund, Nikutik LP, NSMTC is advancing Indigenous participation and ownership in the clean energy transition — creating lasting economic opportunity for Mi'kmaq communities and the broader region.

Visit nsmtc.ca →

BNRG and the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council began working together in 2023 and have since built a strong collaborative partnership for solar development across New Brunswick. The Cookville project reflects a shared vision: that clean energy development should benefit local communities, respect the land, and create opportunity for future generations.

BNRG and NSMTC term sheet signing
BNRG Renewables and North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council sign a partnership term sheet at the Atlantic Indigenous-Led Energy Symposium, Fredericton — September 2024
Landowners & Agrivoltaics

The Acton Family & the Land They Steward

The Acton family operates a fifth-generation family farm presently known as Davanna Holdings Inc. The family farm operation is in Cookville, New Brunswick and is one of the largest beef feedlot operations in Atlantic Canada.
The Farm operates with a mixture of traditional methods passed down over the generations, as well as modern and innovative practices. The Acton Family's partnership with Cookville Solar reflects a shared belief that agricultural heritage and clean energy can thrive together.

Once the solar facility is operational, the Acton family will bring sheep to graze between and beneath the panels — a natural and cost-effective approach to vegetation management that keeps the land productive. They also plan to cultivate blueberries and raise honeybees for honey production on the site.

This combination of solar power generation and agricultural use is called agrivoltaics — a growing practice that maximizes land value while supporting biodiversity, pollinator health, and local food production.

Sheep grazing at solar farm Agrivoltaic sheep grazing Sheep at solar site
The Acton Family; Acton Family farming operations; Agrivoltaics at BNRG Solar site in Maine
Development Journey

Project Timeline

Cookville Solar is moving through New Brunswick's regulatory and approvals process. Below is an overview of key milestones — past, present, and planned.

2023
Partnerships Formed
BNRG Renewables and the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council begin collaborating on solar development opportunities in New Brunswick.

BNRG and the Acton Family meet and determine ideal location for the solar project using land impacted by storms and wild fires.
September 2024
Term Sheet Signed
BNRG and NSMTC sign a formal partnership term sheet at the Atlantic Indigenous-Led Energy Symposium in Fredericton, committing to joint development of the Cookville project.
2024-2026
Grid Studies Completed
Cookville Solar moves through the internconnection grid study process with NB Power, which identifies that this location is an acceptable location to interconnect the project.
2025-2026
Environmental Impact Assessment Progress
The project completes all biophysical and field surveys required to register an Environmental Impact Assessment with the province. The EIA package has been formally registered with the Province of New Brunswick on April 30, 2026.

EIA registrations and determinations can be publicly accessed through the New Brunswick Environment and Local Government website.
May 2026
Community Engagement
Public information sessions and opportunities for neighbours to ask questions and share feedback.

Please see the Public Engagement section below, for more details
Coming Soon
Regulatory Approvals
Environmental Impact Assessment approvals from provincial and federal authorities.
2027-2029
Construction
Groundbreaking and construction of the 150 MW solar facility, bringing local employment and investment to the region.
2029
Commercial Operation
Project comes online, delivering clean electricity and beginning agrivoltaic operations with the Acton family.
Public Engagement

Community Open House

Join NSMTC, BNRG, and the Acton Family for a Community Open House to learn more about us and the Cookville Solar Project. We welcome neighbours, community members, and anyone with questions to come and connect with our team.

Date
May 27, 2026
Time
6pm to 8pm
Location
The Dorchester Veterans Community Centre - 4955 Main Street, Dorchester, NB E4K 2Y7
BNRG and NSMTC team members at a solar project site
The team at a solar project site
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

As the project receives more questions from the community, we will add them to this running list.

  • BNRG is a leading renewables developer with a track record of delivering utility-scale solar projects across the State of Maine, Ireland, UK, and Australia.
  • Click on the "Developers" section, above, to learn more and visit the company website.
  • Get in touch anytime at cookvillesolar@bnrg.ie
  • Solar panels generate electricity directly from sunlight via a process that occurs naturally in semiconductor material. Electrons are freed by solar energy and can be channelled into an electric circuit. The electricity generated gets fed directly into the grid.
  • Solar panels collect sunlight from the front of the panel, facing the sky, and the back of the panel, which collects light that's reflected off of the ground/snow.
  • Yes. Eastern Canada has a PV power potential of between 3.5 and 4.5 kWh/kWp, equivalent to the south of France. New Brunswick has a higher solar resource than much of Europe.
  • Maine has a very similar resource to New Brunswick. Solar contributed less than 1% of the state's electricity in 2019 and is now producing over 13%.
  • The power will be delivered directly into the New Brunswick Power grid.
  • It depends. With proper vegetative buffering, solar projects are not visible from the road. Projects are entirely fenced for public safety.
  • Snow will initially cover the panels after a storm, though it will soon slide off thanks to the pitch of the installed panels. There will be no snow clearing required.
  • This project will use bi-facial solar panels, which means the panels collect light from both the front and the back. When there is snow on the ground, the light reflects to the back of the panel for collection.
  • Solar projects have a light land impact and avoid development that impacts streams and watercourses as much as possible. Buffer zones are incorporated to ensure the project is setback sufficiently from streams and watercourses.
  • The solar panels themselves do not make any noise but the inverters make a humming sound during daylight hours. The sound is equivalent to an air conditioning unit, though when standing outside of the project boundary, it is barely audible.
  • Solar energy provides heat, light, and other electricity-dependent needs in homes and buildings using only the sun's rays. This renewable energy does not use fossil fuels, is a quiet neighbour to nearby farms, fields, and homes, and does not generate emissions, traffic, or odor.
Get in Touch

Questions about Cookville Solar?

We want to hear from you. Whether you're a neighbour, a landowner, or a community member with questions, our team is available to connect.

Send Us a Message
📍
Project Location Cookville, New Brunswick
🌐
BNRG Renewables bnrg.ie
cookvillesolar@bnrg.ie
🌐
North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council nsmtc.ca