OBWF: reconsider wind turbine agreements

On Oct. 4, Oppose Belwood Wind Farm (OBWF) reported that the Belwood Wind Farm project was acquired by EDF-EN, a subsidiary of the French EDF Group.

Since then, EDF-EN was approved as a Qualified Applicant under the Large Renewable Procurement (LRP)program (Feed In Tariff replacement program) which allows the company to submit proposals for renewable energy projects in the upcoming 2015 LRP bid process.

In order to submit a bid, EDF-EN needs option leases to be signed with local landowners to secure potential wind turbine and infrastructure sitting locations.

The existing Transcanada leases are at or near their expiry dates and EDF-EN will be looking to re-sign these landowners and possibly secure more landowner agreements to build a potential wind development project.

OBWF is worried that EDF-EN may not be restricted to the previous project area and potentially be able to expand the project to whatever size they can secure for a land base and grid capability.

As such the group is encouraging landowners to seriously consider the implications of re-signing option agreements, or entering into new option agreements with any wind farm proponent with respect to legal, financial, health and community ramifications.

Further, OBWF encourages neighbours and landowners to maintain an open dialogue.

Neighbours are also encouraged to write to their newly elected councillors to re-affirm Centre Wellington as ‘not-a-willing host.’

For more information, contact opposebelwoodwindfarm@gmail.com

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