Tag Archives: Ken Little

South Branch wind project a success says developer EDP

29 Friday May 2015

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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Chris Little Thomas LoTurco EDP Renewables Apr2115 Edited

Ken Little (L) and Thomas LoTurco of EDP presenting to South Dundas Council in April: everything is tickety-boo.

EDP Renewables held one of its mandatory community liaison meetings last night, ironically in Dixon’s Corners where so many community meetings had been held by residents opposed to the project.

The wind power project is a great success declared project manager Ken Little. He dispelled concerns about the “charge of lease” issue*, and noise complaints, and insisted that the community is in favour and supportive of the power project.

The Ministry of the Environment representative from the Cornwall district office was also in attendance and admitted that the power developer has yet to file its mandatory noise testing report, as the required higher wind speeds have not been achieved. Therefore the Ministry does not have appropriate data and does not intend to pursue any enforcement action for non-compliance with the regulations.

No one actually measuring noise for compliance

This statement was a shock to those present who have lodged noise complaints (Ottawa Wind Concerns is aware that the first noise complaint was filed two weeks after the turbines began operating). People in at least one residence in Brinston lodged enough complaints that the Ministry conducted a noise audit on site—those results are not available to the public, the MoE representative said.

In the absence of an active community group in South Branch at present, Ottawa Wind Concerns will answer any questions as bet we can: ottawawindconcerns@gmail.com

*Editor’s note: Mr Little is following the wind power lobby group guideline of claiming the charge of lease “issue” (where developers can obtain financing which is then registered on title) is simply a rumour, and is “nobody’s business.” The fact is, the charge of lease potential is yet another characteristic in wind power leases that land owners need to be aware of, and can affect their ability to obtain financing.

Developer says more wind turbines coming to North Stormont, South Dundas

10 Tuesday Mar 2015

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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Cornwall News Watch, March 9, 2015

More wind farm plans for S. Dundas, N. Stormont

Posted on March 9, 2015 by in News, North Dundas, North Glengarry, North Stormont, South Dundas, South Glengarry, South Stormont // 1 Comment

South Dundas Mayor Evonne Delegarde, left, shakes the hand of EDP Renewables Project Manager Ken Little. The company announced $2.7 million in compensation to Dundas and SD&G for road damage during the construction of the South Branch Wind Farm. (Cornwall Newswatch/Bill Kingston)

MORRISBURG – While announcing a settlement for road damage in Dundas county, the company behind a 10 turbine, 30 megawatt wind farm in Brinston is looking to expand.

During a ceremony at the South Dundas Municipal Center Monday afternoon, EDP Renewables paid Dundas and the United Counties of SD&G nearly $2.7 million for road wear when they put up the South Branch Wind Farm near Brinston.

The process started in June 2013 when North Dundas, South Dundas and the United Counties signed road use agreements with EDP.

Following an engineer’s evaluation, EDP agreed to pay South Dundas $868,500, North Dundas $118,590 and the United Counties $1,697,386.

Compensation a ‘drop in the bucket’

While the Municipality of South Dundas appreciates the money, Public Works Manager Chris Bazinet says the compensation is “just a drop in the bucket” given the cost of the roads and maintaining infrastructure.

While the money can be used at the municipal governments’ discretion, South Dundas Deputy Mayor Jim Locke says the county money is earmarked for South Dundas county roads.

With the damage compensation out of the way, EDP Renewables Project Manager Ken Little says they are looking at options in South Dundas and North Stormont.

Little says the next rollout of wind farms will be a competitive bid process run by the province but it will not fall under the Ontario feed-in-tariff (FIT) model.

He says they have already approached some farms about optioning land, primarily in the area east of South Branch Road in South Dundas.

“(It’s) still an early stage project. But we’re working with the IESO (Independent Electricity System Operator) to understand what the capacity, availability is in all of Eastern Ontario. So, it’s at a stage where no proponents necessarily know the amount of capacity available for a project to connect to the circuit,” Little said.

He believes a screening process will be completed in May, which will give the public a better idea of the size of project.

Roughly 30-50 wind turbines had been planned for North Stormont but Little suspects the development with South Dundas would be smaller than that.

Bids on the project would be due in September and proposed wind farms would go online in 2018-2019.

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Editor’s note #1: WHY does the wind power developer’s payment of funds owing due to road damage rate a “ceremony”?

Editor’s note #2: The South Branch Wind Opposition Group in South Dundas has disbanded; for more information or assistance, please contact Ottawa Wind Concerns at ottawawindconcerns@gmail.com or Wind Concerns Ontario at windconcerns@gmail.com