March 28, 2013
Ontario

Warden worried about second wave of wind energy; 900 turbines possible in southern Ontario

Heather Wright | Sarnia-Lambton Independent | March 27, 2013 | heatherkokwright.wordpress.com

Lambton County Warden Todd Case is worried southwestern Ontario will be flooded with industrial wind turbines when the provincial government offers energy contracts to large companies soon.

He wants the provincial government to rethink the green energy agenda before awarding any more contracts to produce power.

Case was recently in Windsor at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Sustainability Conference. He visited a wind turbine plant in the city where the talk was about the province’s next round of announcements for the Feed In Tariff (FIT) projects to large energy companies. Case says industry leaders expect that next round will place hundreds of turbines in southern Ontario and that has him worried.

“There are rumblings from the government there will be about 900 expected in (the region) the second process,” says Case.

And while it is only speculation, Case says considering the investment going into wind turbine construction plants recently, he believes it. Siemens in Tillsonburg recently announced it was hiring about 150 people, as is CS Wind Corporation in Windsor. “Companies are making a future investment hiring more people; obviously they’re counting on that future.”

But Case is concerned, saying the projects so far have caused division in communities. “The whole thing hasn’t been a singing success,” he says.

“I’d like to think the government would put the brakes on this and take a look at the situation; take a look before they do the second process.”

Especially, Case says, when there seems to be an abundance of power. “I understand we’re paying $200 to $500 million to pay other people to take our hydro; why are we so worried about green energy if we’re paying people to take our hydro.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/03/28/warden-worried-about-second-wave-of-wind-energy-900-turbines-possible-in-southern-ontario/