A decision on the NextEra Energy wind farm is expected from the province by the end of the year, according to company spokesmen.
Derek Dudek and project director Nicole Geneau told council the public consultation requirement for their proposal southwest of Arthur is complete.
The company plans to build an 18 to 25.3 megawatt farm consisting of 10 wind turbines, each measuring 80 metres in height and able to collectively generate enough electricity to power more than 5,400 homes.
Geneau said once the company receives its approval from the province it will actively begin negotiating with the township. She said the company hopes to start construction in May and be operating by August.
She said NextEra would have to negotiate such things as road use, a development agreement and obtain permits from the Grand River Conservation Authority and the township.
Dudek said the company has drafted a road use agreement for township staff to consider.
He added the company has construction drawings and engineering reports ready, and will work with Mapleton staff to ensure everything is done correctly.
An arborist’s report will show what trees can be saved along the route and which will have to be replaced. The company will also need building permits.
Geneau said an archeologist’s report is 80 per cent complete, and the remainder should be done by the end of the month, once crops are off the fields.
Dudek said a decommissioning plan will be based on soil reports and the company will work with Ministry of Agriculture engineers “to be sure it is appropriate.”
Councillors Neil Driscoll, Jim Curry and Andy Knetsch said they have some concerns about anything left in the soil, ranging from plastics to metals.
Councillor Mike Downey said he is concerned there is already some digging being done before the approval arrives. He added the digging was taking place with “no notification” to the township.
Geneau said NextEra has nothing to do with that, but Bell Canada is doing some work.
“When we learned the municipality didn’t know, we followed up. We were not aware,” she said.
Downey said it was “directly related to your project.”
Geneau insisted, “We are not doing any work.”
Downey asked, “Who pays Bell?”
Geneau admitted, “We are.”
Downey concluded, “In fact, you have started the project.” Geneau said Bell has more than one job in the area.
Downey noted, “They didn’t communicate very well for a communications company.”
Bell had sent council a letter in mid-November explaining it would be starting work in the area in October.
Curry also had concerns about tile drainage.
Dudek said the company will fix any problems.
Curry said he has heard the problems have returned within a few years.
Geneau said NextEra has a long-term relationship with the landowner and it is “all covered in the contract.”
Downey asked, “Are these things efficient – or are we just subsidizing them so they’re profitable?”
Geneau said the company has been collecting wind data since 2006 in Mapleton and it runs evaluations to “determine we’re in the right place. We want to be certain it’s a good site. The banks do an independent evaluation.”
She said the turbines are made to produce an average amount and are able to work 80 to 90% of the time, and are producing 30 to 35% of the time in Ontario.
John Krul, long an opponent of the proposal, also attended the meeting as a delegation, and noted there has been “a lot of activity on our road. I would like to hear it’s not for NextEra.”
He said a lot of the work is on Sideroad 17 where no one lives, and he said it seems there is pressure to get that section done.
“As far as I know, they haven’t got approval from the MOE,” Krul said.
Public works director Larry Lynch said he had met with someone to discuss hydro issues, and Bell had approached him about putting in conduit.
He did say Bell did not have municipal consent to do any work.
Krul asked if Bell is putting in equipment for NextEra. Lynch replied, “Yes.”
Krul asked, “Isn’t that kind of backwards?”
Driscoll wondered what would happen if a landowner put in a driveway without permission, and if the township would say it should be removed.
Lynch said generally if the location is okay, the landowner would just get “a scolding. I’m not sure we would make them take it out.”
He said Bell had two projects, and only one was for NextEra.
Krul also wondered if the turbines can produce enough power, but Curry noted that is confidential information.
After the delegation, council debated the report from NextEra and voted to accept it as information.
Geneau noted the application has changed and the company had told the township in September about those changes. They include changes to access roads and collection routes.
Sinnamon said she sent a letter from the township to the director of approvals at the MOE, asking approval be delayed until the township has time to deal with them.
Curry asked if that means NextEra can revise its plans “as much as they want?”
Sinnamon said the MOE can ask for more public comment if it wishes.
Geneau said the MOE asked for public notice of the changes, and those were published in the Wellington Advertiser and Community News, as well as being mailed by registered mail to everyone within 500 metres of the wind farm.
Council then accepted the report.
