Wind Power News: Prince Edward Island
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Some of P.E.I.’s wind turbines remain without power almost three weeks after Fiona
Summerside, P.E.I. – Wind turbines across Prince Edward Island kept their structural integrity after post-tropical storm Fiona hit the province on Sept. 23-24, but power remains off at some sites and some blades appear damaged. In Summerside, an initial inspection found there was little damage to the four turbines. However, the city says they were turned off for safety reasons. “We need to do a better inspection with binoculars and drones on the blades to make sure there is no cracking . . . Complete story »
P.E.I. must do more to respect rural governments
Monday’s Guardian illuminated the difficulties of governing in Crapaud and other small rural communities (Left in the dark, Aug. 23). Certainly scarce financial resources play a role and sometimes there may be a conflict of personalities. We should all acknowledge the time and commitment our councillor neighbours devote to the task of making our communities a better place. Our province needs to acknowledge the importance of rural councils and their role in insuring rural communities stay vibrant and their voices . . . Complete story »
Is wind turbine plan for or against the people?
Dear Mr. “For the People” King: Please do not allow IRAC and the P.E.I. Energy Corporation to pave the way for your government to vote “against the people” of Eastern Kings by allowing further wind farm expansion at East Point, P.E.I. The Rural Municipality of Eastern Kings (RMEK) followed a very challenging and discerning process and voted a clear “No” to the proposed application of P.E.I. Energy Corp to build 600-foot-high windmills in a very sensitive ecological area. Eastern Kings . . . Complete story »
Turbines out of scale
As a resident of East Point I would like to comment on IRAC hearing P.E.I. Energy versus the Rural Municipality of Eastern Kings (RMEK) in regard to the denial by council of the special permit application to add seven more wind turbines. Steven Myers, who was minister of Transportation, Energy and Infrastructure in September 2019, said “I don’t want to leave it in the air that there’s a possibility that we’re not going there.” And, “We think the whole project’s . . . Complete story »
IRAC hears appeal for 30-megawatt wind farm rejected by rural P.E.I. council
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The P.E.I. Energy Corporation (PEIEC) says a municipality went against its own bylaws when denying a 30-megawatt wind farm expansion. “This was a very technical application that was placed before this small, rural municipality, and they should have reached out to specialists,” the PEIEC’s lawyer Gordon MacKay said on Friday. In October 2020, the council of Eastern Kings voted 3-1 against an application for a seven-turbine wind farm in its region. The application has been in the works . . . Complete story »
IRAC to decide whether proposed Eastern Kings wind farm expansion should go ahead
After its proposal to build more wind turbines in Eastern Kings last fall was denied, the P.E.I. Energy Corporation is arguing for the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission to overturn that decision. The corporation runs the province’s wind farms and wanted to add seven wind turbines to the 10 that already exist in the municipality of Eastern Kings, east of Souris. “The wind farm, the purpose of it is to provide clean renewable electricity to Islanders and to ensure our . . . Complete story »
Flights of fancy over wind power
With reference to the opinion piece published on renewable energy (Advancing technologies, Dec. 3). The writers claim that renewable energy is now “five times cheaper than coal.” I don’t know where they get such a figure, as any electrical engineer knows that coal is the cheapest form of generation. I don’t like calling people names, and in this case I will just say the writers are deluded. Wind and solar power appear cheap because of massive subsidies. Everywhere they have . . . Complete story »
West Prince residents want high-voltage power lines moved
More than 50 people who live in the western P.E.I. community of Forestview have signed a petition calling on the provincial government to move high-voltage power lines away from their homes. The lines run along Howlan Road and carry electricity generated at the West Cape wind farm. The province did remove three-quarters of the lines in 2008, says local resident Clyde Penney, and promised at that time to move the rest once future wind turbines were established in that area. . . . Complete story »
More on wind farms
Carl Brothers in The Guardian (Wind will power our future, Nov. 13) challenges my thoughts on wind turbines. With respect to the cost, he claims they are now significantly cheaper than coal. I would ask, how come that wherever they have been installed in large numbers to replace coal, electricity prices have soared? In California, Germany, Denmark, and South Australia, there has been a transition to wind and solar, and prices have gone out of control. I agree with him . . . Complete story »
P.E.I. Energy Corporation appeals decision to deny wind farm expansion
The P.E.I. Energy Corporation has filed an appeal of a decision by the Rural Municipality of Eastern Kings to deny a permit for an expansion of a wind farm. The municipal council voted on Oct. 22 to deny the permit, after the provincial government had approved the expansion. Councillors had expressed concern that the environmental cost of the wind farm would be greater than the benefit. The P.E.I. Energy Corporation filed its appeal with the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission . . . Complete story »
