National Wind Watch: Wind Energy News » Cancelled wind farm a victory

The decision to halt development of an industrial wind farm proposed for Mattawan Township is a victory for all residents of Nipissing and hydro ratepayers across Ontario, Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli proclaimed Tuesday.

Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. announced Tuesday that its Mattawan wind project will not proceed.

“The auditor general has clearly told us the subsidies paid to wind power developers in Ontario have literally cost us billions of dollars without actually increasing green energy,” Fedeli said.

Wind power is unreliable, makes power mostly at night when it isn’t needed, creating a surplus Ontario then has to get rid of by paying Quebec and the United States to take it, Fedeli charged.

The auditor general said the cost of producing that exported power was about $2.6 billion more than the revenue Ontario received from exporting that power between 2006 and 2013.

Fedeli said the difference between the market price for power and the price paid to wind developers goes into the global adjustment, which the auditor estimates has cost about $50 billion cumulative over the past decade.

“Is it any wonder Ontario now has the highest industrial rates in North America, and residential hydro bills are forecast to increase 42% by 2018 after peak hydro rates have already more than tripled since 2003?” asked Fedeli.

Noting that concern still exists regarding a wind farm proposed for Merrick township, near North Bay, Fedeli said the “solution is for the government to reverse course on proposed wind projects, cancel feed-in tariff (FIT) subsidies and give municipalities veto authority over wind projects in their communities.”

Fedeli has organized a wind farm town hall meeting for 6:30 p.m. March 24 at the Davedi Club.

Cancelled wind farm a victory – Fedeli