Over 100 wind turbines in Middlesex County now under construction

Right now in Middlesex County:

• Suncor’s Adelaide wind project was approved today: read more

• WPD’s Napier project approved last week: read more

• NextEra’s Adelaide wind project is almost done the appeal process. read more

• NextEra’s Bornish wind project’s appeal denied. read more

All the proposed wind projects in Middlesex County (above) have now been approved and will be under construction, if they aren’t’ already. That’s over 100 wind turbines. If you want to see what it look like, check these pictures out, or come out and see for yourself.

In Lambton county:

• NextEra’s Jericho wind up for final public comment: read more

• Suncor’s Cedar Point wind up for final public comment: read more

That’s another 130+ wind turbines.

Grand Bend? That’s another 111 turbines.

This is what Christmas looks like to many in rural Middlesex and Lambton Counties.

If you have 100 good ideas of how to stop the wind turbines, just implement 1 of them on your own. That makes a difference. Action is what is need!

Rough seas for NextEra’s Bluewater and Bornish projects

reNews
An anti-wind group has appealed NextEra Energy Canada’s 60MW Bluewater wind project in Ontario. The Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group has asked the provincial environmental review tribunal to revoke a renewable energy approval granted in April. The opposition group claims the 40-turbine wind farm will cause serious harm to human health. Preliminary hearings will be held 4 and 28 of June. A full hearing is set for 2 July.

The Ontario Energy Board is conducting a written hearing for NextEra’s application to build interconnection facilities, which include a 23-kilometer 115kV transmission line. In the meantime, the Florida-based developer has filed suit seeking to overturn new bylaws enacted by Bluewater council. Developers would have to pay C$14,000 per turbine plus a refundable security deposit totaling C$420,000 per turbine to cover decommissioning and potential health and property damages and legal fees. Another appeal is underway against NextEra’s 72.9MW Bornish proposal. The tribunal has yet to set hearing dates. Both wind farms are designed with GE 1.6-100 turbines

Bluewater files for intervener status for Goshen Wind leave to Construct

Lakeshore Advance
The municipality will seek intervener status for Next Era’s leave to construct for the Goshen Wind Energy Centre. Since the municipality only had 10 days left to file for intervener status, Bluewater’s Chief Administrative Officer Steve McAuley, asked council how they wished to proceed with the leave to construct.

“We need to deal with this notice because they come fast and fierce. It’s the nature of the beast,” said McAuley at the meeting. McAuley suggested to council that they seek intervener status, so they can be informed of the comings and goings happening with the Ontario Energy Board and also ask for an oral hearing and to have their costs to be covered. The exact same thing council requested for Next Era’s previous leave to construct for the Bluewater Wind Energy Centre.

McAuley said that since the municipality had requested intervener status and an oral hearing with Next Era’s Bluewater Wind Energy Centre, council can expect similar results, including not being appointed costs and not receiving the oral hearing. Read article

MLWAG appeals Bluewater NextEra Project

Bluewater Preliminary ERT Hearing
Date: June 4
Time: 10:00am
Place: The Bluewater Stanley Complex, Community Centre, 38594B Mill Road, Varna MAP

Clinton News Record
A neighbouring anti turbine group has launched an appeal on Next Era’s Bluewater wind energy approval. The Middlesex Lambton Wind Action group filed the appeal on May 7, with the Environment Review Tribunal, stating the approved project would cause severe harm to human health and the natural environment.

Member of the group, Esther Wrightman, said they have launched similar appeals in areas around Ontario, because then, it opens the door. “In a way, it was done because of a lack of anybody else appealing it. We hate to see any wind project not challenged by someone,” she said. With several of Next Era’s projects proposed or in construction in Lambton Middlesex, including the Adelaide, Bornish and Jericho projects, the group also takes note of the proponent’s other projects. “We look at this basically as one huge project, which includes the Goshen and Bluewater projects,” she added. Read article

Next Era’s 37-turbine Bluewater project planned for Varna area gets Ministry approval

Lakeshore Advance
The Bluewater Wind Energy Centre, one of two projects Next Era has proposed for the municipality of Bluewater, received Ministry of Environment approval last Monday, April 22.

The project that was approved plans for 37 turbines for a generating capacity of 60 megawatts. Although the turbines will be located in Bluewater, bounded by Blackbush/Bronson Line to the west, Mill Road to the North, Concession 5 Road to the east and Danceland Road/Staffa Road to the south, a transmission line is to be constructed through Huron East to connect to the Seaforth Transformer Station by way of Centennial and Hensall Roads.

“This is a major milestone for the project,” said Project Director Nicole Geneau. “Everyone will see a lot more of us in the future, and me in particular, over the next several months,” said Geneau who added, “Sometimes when you are working through everything and working through the steps, the excitement doesn’t come through, but we are very happy to receive the approval. We have been working with some of our landowners since 2008 and this is a very long-term experience for them as well. We are all thrilled.” Read article

NextEra Varna (Bluewater) Wind Project approved by MOE – 40 more turbines

Environmental Registry
A Renewable Energy Approval (REA) has been issued to Varna Wind Inc. to engage in a renewable energy project in respect of a Class 4 wind facility consisting of the construction, installation, operation, use and retiring of up to 40 turbines, rated at 1.6 MW generating output capacity, with a total name plate capacity of 60 MW. The wind facility will be connected to Hydro One’s distribution system.

This Class 4 wind facility, known as the Bluewater Wind Energy Centre, consists of areas required for the wind facility components, as well as for the interconnection route. The wind facility is generally bounded Blackbush/Bronson Line to the west, Mill Road to the north, Concession 5 Road to the east, and Danceland Road/Staffa Road to the south. The interconnection route is generally bounded by Concession 5 Road to the west, Mill Road to the north, Huron Road and Perth 183 Road to the east, and Staffa Road to the south.

Bluewater taken to court over wind turbine building fees

By Mac Christie, Times-Advocate Staff
VARNA – Bluewater’s high-priced wind turbine building permit fees are being challenged in court. The municipality’s building permit bylaw would see wind developers pay $434,000 per turbine for any wind turbine development in the municipality.

NextEra Energy’s Nicole Geneau confirmed the company – which plans to build two wind farms and a total of 52 turbines in Bluewater – has filed suit in Ontario Superior Court in London. “We’ve always maintained that we contested the bylaw that they passed,” Geneau said. “The reasons that we contested it, we stated at council several times. “It’s on that basis that we have moved to have the bylaw quashed and we’re going to continue to pursue that action.”

NextEra undertook the action with Northland Power, the developers of the Grand Bend Wind Farm, an installation which could see as many as 40 turbines erected in Bluewater. NextEra’s legal counsel Tyson Dyck had previously appeared at Bluewater council March 4, telling council the company disputed the bylaw as they feel it encroaches on several areas of the provincial jurisdiction, such as the Green Energy Act, as well as the Building Code Act.

The bylaw would see industrial wind turbine developers pay a $14,000 base permit fee, a $220,000 security per turbine for decommissioning, a $100,000 fee per turbine for matters related to health and property devaluation and a $100,000 fee per turbine for potential legal matters arising as a result of the turbines. Read article