Tag Archives: South Dundas wind farm

South Dundas wind farm: no connectivity

27 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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Cornwall NewsWatch, May 27

SOUTH DUNDAS – The province’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) has given South Dundas slim to virtually no chance of having more renewable energy projects.

The Circuit and Station Transmission Availability Tables released Friday by the IESO shows “No Availability” for the five transmission circuits serving the Brinston-area of South Dundas.

The report has likely left plans for two windmill projects in that area of South Dundas twisting in the wind.

EDP Renewables had planned a 50-100 megawatt windmill project northeast of Brinston, which would have been serviced by 40 windmills. Despite repeated calls and emails from Cornwall Newswatch, Project Manager Ken Little has not responded.

Chicago-based Invenergy wanted a slightly smaller project of 50-90 megawatts serviced by 20-25 windmills. The Nine Mile Wind Project would be west of Brinston.

“Invenergy has received the transmission availability report from the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), and we are reviewing the connection options for the Nine Mile Project. (We will) have no further comment until our assessment is complete,” a company spokeswoman said in an email to Cornwall Newswatch.

IESO spokeswoman Alexandra Campbell says, while the table will show no circuit availability, a company can still apply. She says the tables are a snapshot in time and are based on a conservative estimate for power needs. Campbell called them “guidelines.”

“A proponent can still apply for a contract with a project on one of those circuits and, based on the specifics of that project, still may get a contract…and that project may be able to connect,” she said.

Campbell says the IESO availability tables are guidelines and will point out what areas are “a little tighter than others. But no availability doesn’t necessarily mean no projects at all can connect.”

The tables show no availability on the five circuits for Brinston. The area does have the capacity though to handle 550 more megawatts of power. There are many other areas, predominately in southwestern Ontario, where the chances are higher a contract could go ahead.

Certainly this is a factor they (the companies) need to consider. In an area where there may be a lot of availability there’s certainly a much greater likelihood of there not being any barriers with the specific issue of connection (to the circuit)…lower availability is certainly one aspect that needs to be considered by a proponent,” Campbell said.

EDP Renewables and Invenergy are two of 42 companies qualified in Ontario to put in contracts. They have until Sept. 1 to decide whether to put in a request for proposal (RFP).

 

South Dundas wind power plant target

26 Tuesday May 2015

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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Not the photo the Standard-Freeholder used, of a turbine alone in a field. THIS is reality: a house and turbine near KIncardine, Ont.

Not the photo the Standard-Freeholder used, of a turbine alone in a field. THIS is reality: a house and turbine near KIncardine, Ont.

U.S.-based Invenergy is trying to persuade South Dundas to reverse its unwilling host resolution and put its stamp of approval on a proposal for more wind turbines for the area.

Cornwall Standard-Freeholder, May 25

South Dundas remains a magnet for wind power developers, despite an earlier proclamation the municipality is “not a willing host” for the controversial turbines.

Just on the heels of a presentation made by the township’s only resident turbine developer, EDP Renewables, a second firm wants in on the action. South Dundas council heard last Tuesday from James Murphy and Ryan Ralph, who were representing Invenergy, reputed to be the continent’s sixth-largest green energy entity.

Invenergy is proposing its Nine Mile Project, which would be considerably more ambitious the current South Branch project that is now operating in the Brinston area. It would also spill into North Dundas.

If developed, Nine Mile would produce between 50-90 megawatts/hr. South Branch delivers 30 megawatts, but EDP is hoping to expand its operations in the township.

Invenergy needs council’s blessing in order to arm itself with a best-case argument to get provincial approval as it competes with some 40 other companies. One of the requirements that South Dundas wants projects to satisfy is to show there is a demand for more electricity.

Invenergy has indicated by 2019, more energy will need to be produced in Ontario, reversing a current trend of selling power at loss to other jurisdictions.

Mayor Evonne Delegarde said the new council welcomes new presentations in order to analyze their individual worth.

One of the social spinoffs for hosting a turbine project is the community donations the township receives annually – $1,000 for every megawatt produced, so Nine Mile would provide $50,000 to $90,000 per year for 20 years.

As for her opinion, the mayor said the community investment would not be a factor in view of whether to accept the proposal. Several property owners have already signed up to receive $500,000 in lease payments if the project goes ahead.

twitter.com/GregPeerenboom

NOTE: Ottawa Wind Concerns has learned that a community group opposed to the wind power project may be forming in North Stormont–we will keep you informed.

ottawawindconcerns@gmail.com

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