Wind Power News: Ontario
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Opponents of turbine project appeal to environment minister to protect turtles
STELLA – Opponents of a wind energy project on Amherst Island are appealing to the provincial government to enforce a condition designed to protect an endangered turtle population. In a letter to Ontario Environment and Climate Change Minister Chris Ballard, the Association to Protect Amherst Island asked for the provincial government to enforce work stoppages meant to protect the Blanding’s turtle during its nesting and reproduction period. In August 2016, the Environmental Review Tribunal dismissed an appeal of the project’s approval. . . . Complete story »
Ford greeted by protesters in Wallaceburg
As Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford came off his campaign bus on Friday afternoon in Wallaceburg, the first thing he saw was the grim faces of about a dozen members of Water Wells First. And they wanted some answers and guarantees. The grassroots environmental group is frustrated by water wells polluted with black shale sediments that they say comes from wind farm construction in Chatham-Kent. They had a tense five-minute conversation with Ford soon after he stopped off his . . . Complete story »
Municipality recommends no reduced load exemption for wpd Canada
The municipality is recommending council does not grant a reduced load exemption sought by wpd Canada to deliver cement for its nine industrial wind turbine project near Milford. In a report submitted for council’s Committee of the Whole meeting Thursday, Robert McAuley, Commissioner of Engineering, Development and Works notes other municipalities contacted do not grant reduced load exemptions. “All who responded indicated they do not grant reduced load exemptions to development or construction projects,” McAuley said. “The opinion generally was . . . Complete story »
No exemption for wind farm developer
Prince Edward County council has said no to a request for an exemption from its Reduced Load Period Bylaw from the company building a nine-turbine wind farm on the county’s south shore. WPD White Pines Inc. asked for the load exemption as it continues its site preparation work. The bylaw serves to force lighter loads on roads and highways during the spring when they are more easily damaged. Commissioner of Public Works Robert McAuley told council that exemptions are almost . . . Complete story »
Further acoustic testing on lone wind turbine in Port Elgin
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change officials say they’re holding UNIFOR to the law over its wind turbine exceeding noise limits, but Saugeen Shores councillors are not convinced. MOECC Owen Sound district manager Rick Chappell says an acoustic audit for the union’s Port Elgin wind turbine conducted last year came back incomplete, but says there was enough data to suggest the turbine may have been exceeding noise standards. He says the MOECC issued an order for UNIFOR to submit a . . . Complete story »
Opposition to wind farm continues
Opposition to the project hasn't let up since the group Water Wells First initially raised concerns in June 2016 that constructing the project in an area with a shallow aquifer on Kettle Point black shale would damage water wells. Since then, more 20 landowners have come forward with complaints their wells became clogged after either pile driving took place or the blades began turning on a nearby wind tower. Area MPPs from both the Progressive Conservatives and NDP have brought concerns raised by residents directly to Queen's Park. Complete story »
Blog info disappears, raising questions
Just days after information on how deep pile driving methods could impact adjacent water wells was discovered in a company blog, the Hydro One consulting firm pulled down the info from its website. Brought to the public’s attention by Essex MPP Taras Natyshak, the blog on the EBS Geostructural website referenced the North Kent One wind turbine project in North Chatham and the recommendation to use a micro-piling method of construction for the turbine foundation instead of the deep piling . . . Complete story »
NextEra selling Ontario wind & solar assets
NextEra Energy Partners, LP announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) for the sale of its portfolio of wind and solar generation assets in Ontario, Canada, for a total consideration of about $582.3 million. This includes the net present value of the O&M origination fee, subject to customary working capital and other adjustments, plus the assumption by the purchaser of approximately $689 million USD in existing debt. Wind turbines The transaction . . . Complete story »
‘Faulty blade’ caused turbine collapse in Chatham-Kent, says company
A “single faulty blade” caused a wind turbine in Chatham-Kent to collapse, according to TerraForm Power, the company that operates the wind farm. The turbine crumpled on Jan. 19, leading to calls from Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton to halt other wind projects in the area while “the safety issues of turbines” were investigated. The wind facility – south of Chatham, Ont. – was temporarily halted, while third-party investigators and a team from Terraform, probed the cause of the collapse. “The review confirmed . . . Complete story »
Faulty blade blamed for wind turbine collapse
TerraForm Power has concluded that a faulty blade was the cause of a wind turbine collapse in Chatham-Kent in January. “After fully satisfying review by independent, third-party professionals, as well as our own engineering team, our Raleigh wind facility has returned to service as of Thursday, March 29,” Chad Reed, the company’s director of investor relations, said in an email to Blackburn News. “The review confirmed that the collapse of a turbine at the facility earlier this year was caused . . . Complete story »
