NaiKun Wind Energy Appoints Key Executives
OK it’s late and I should be in bed by now, but my online night owl wanderings got away with me and I can’t go to bed without writing about NaiKun Wind Energy Corp. (TSX.V:NKW). I think we need to have it here in black and…scratch that…green and orange, that on April 7th NaiKun appointed Paul Taylor and Steven Eckert to the company’s senior executive team. Taylor who was President and CEO of the Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC) will become President and Director of NaiKun Group. 
For those of you unfamiliar with BC, ICBC is Canada’s largest auto insurer and a household name in BC. Eckert is a former consultant to BC Hydro and former Vice President of Project Development for Constellation Energy.
Eckert will be Senior Vice President of NaiKun Wind Group and President and CEO of NaiKun Wind Group’s subsidiary NaiKun Wind Development. NaiKun Wind Development is proposing a wind farm in Hecate Strait, the body of water in between Haida Gwaii and the mainland of northern British Columbia. The first phase of the project is 320 MW in scope, will bring clean electricity to the people of Haida Gwaii, and power a total of 120,000 British Columbian homes. The second phase of the project is 1,750 MW and will power 600,000 BC homes.
In keeping with timeline requirements of the BC Clean Energy Plan, the NaiKun project is slated to begin construction in May 2009. The appointment of these two men brings a lot of skill and experience to NaiKun, but also a familiarity with procurement and acquisition at BC Hydro. Successful relationships with key players is not new for NaiKun. One of Canada’s best known entrepreneurs, Joe Houssian is on its board of directors.
Major investors include ENMAX and Siemens and a commercial agreement Lax Kw’alaams Nation has already been negotiated.
Also, since 2004 NaiKun has been working with the Haida Power Authority another key stakeholder. The appointment of Taylor and Eckert comes immediately before BC Hydro’s spring 2008 Clean Power Call.
I think, with these appointments, NaiKun has just put one more duck in a row.
~Katherine
