January 29, 2013
Nova Scotia

Pictou Co. wind project registered for environmental assessment

By BRUCE ERSKINE Business Reporter | January 29, 2013 | thechronicleherald.ca

Watts Wind Energy Inc.’s proposed six-megawatt McLellans Brook wind project in Pictou County has been registered for environmental assessment.

“There was nothing alarming in the field work,” company vice-president Paul Pynn said Tuesday. “We’re optimistic.”

The $15-million, four-turbine development, which could provide enough energy to power about 2,000 homes, is located seven kilometres south of Stellarton.

Pending approval, project construction is scheduled to begin later this year, with operations beginning in early 2014.

Pynn said bird, bat, wetland and archeology fieldwork was done at and around the project site. The company also met and consulted with community and First Nations groups about the project.

“We’ll have more meetings,” he said.

Watts Wind is organized as a Nova Scotia Community Economic Development Investment Fund. Investors in the Dartmouth company may be eligible for non-refundable provincial tax credits of up to 65 per cent.

Watts Wind recently announced a potential $6-million public equity offering through Canaccord Genuity Corp.

The offering up to five million common shares at $1.20 per share is scheduled to close on or before March 1.

Proceeds will be used to develop three advanced-stage projects, totalling 18.8 megawatts planned for construction this year, including the McLellans Brook project.

The other two projects are located in Ketch Harbour and Barrington.

Watts Wind has a 90 per cent interest in a 1.5-megawatt wind turbine operating near Sheet Harbour, which generated 4.7 million kilowatt hours of electricity in 2012.

It also has two other early stage projects in New Minas and Bayswater.

The company has a 20-year power purchase agreement with Nova Scotia Power Inc. for 20.6 megawatts of power.

Copies of the environmental assessment registration information can be viewed at the Stellarton Public Library, 248 Foord St.; Pictou County Chamber of Commerce, 980 East River Rd., New Glasgow; Ecology Action Centre, Suite 31, 1568 Argyle St., Halifax; Nova Scotia Environment, 20 Pumphouse Rd., New Glasgow; Nova Scotia Environment, 5th Floor Library, 5151 Terminal Rd., Halifax, and online at www.gov.ns.ca/enla/ea.

Written comments can be sent to the Environmental Assessment Branch, Nova Scotia Environment, P.O. Box 442, Halifax, NS, B3J 2P8 on or before Feb. 28.

The Environment Department can be contacted by phone at (902) 424-3230, by fax at (902) 424-0503 (Fax), or by email at EA@gov.ns.ca.

All submissions, including personal information, will be available for public review in the Nova Scotia Environment Library, 5th floor, 5151 Terminal Rd., Halifax.

A ministerial decision on whether the project can be granted conditional environmental assessment approval is expected on or before March 20.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/01/29/pictou-co-wind-project-registered-for-environmental-assessment/