April 22, 2015
Ontario
Ontario
Nighttime lights on wind turbines upset Huron County residents
Scott Miller, CTV London | Published Wednesday, April 22, 2015 | ctvnews.ca
Scott Miller, CTV London | Published Wednesday, April 22, 2015 | ctvnews.ca
A number of Huron County residents say their countryside is being turned into Ontario’s ‘red light district.’
The red lights atop wind turbines north of Goderich – designed to warn pilots – has caught the ire of many people living the area who say the red lights that blink every few seconds are distracting and annoying.
Carla Stachura lives among the turbines and says, “It’s completely destroyed the night sky, it’s very distracting. It makes the township look like an airport runway…It’s sad. We live adjacent to the prettiest little town in Canada and we’re the red light district.”
They’re pushing the owners of the 140-turbine K2 Wind Power Project to install radar or motion-sensitive lights atop the turbines so they’d only blink when there are approaching aircraft.
Similar technology is already being used on turbines near Chatham.
The company says three options are being investigated that could replace the standard turbine night lights, but haven’t committed to making any changes.
Jay Shukin with K2 says, “The assessment is underway right now…We’re looking at what we can do to maintain aircraft safety but also reduce the visibility of the lights for those who are in the immediate area.”
The current red lights meet Transport Canada regulations.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/04/22/nighttime-lights-on-wind-turbines-upset-huron-county-residents/