April 23, 2012
Prince Edward Island

Energy minister to meet with Eastern Kings council on wind project

Dave Stewart, The Guardian, www.theguardian.pe.ca 22 April 2012

Energy Minister Wes Sheridan will be meeting with the community council in Eastern Kings to determine the next step in the wind farm project.

Residents turned out in huge numbers last week, voting 171-131 in favour of proceeding with a wind farm in their backyard.

Proposed is a 30-megawatt wind farm development in the area. The plan would see about $9 million for the community over a 15-year period, including a $125,000 annual trust it could spend any way it wants. The $9 million includes land payments for the existing turbines.

As part of the proposal, Sheridan gave the community the chance to decide if it even wanted the wind farm after residents previously rejected a proposal by a private company.

“Under the P.E.I. Energy Accord, we agreed that, into the future, we would introduce new wind projects where we had community support,’’ Sheridan told The Guardian.

“We left the decision up to the community and their capable council who went through the process to gauge (community) support.’’

The P.E.I. Energy Corporation, which is a Crown corporation, would own and operate the latest turbines as the second phase of a wind farm it already runs in the area.

“We will now be meeting with council to determine the next step. We’re looking forward to increasing our wind energy capacity, which will benefit all Islanders.’’

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/04/23/energy-minister-to-meet-with-eastern-kings-council-on-wind-project/