By Michael Bennett
Local Journalism Initiative
The Ridgetown Independent
Public feedback led to the decision by Capstone Infrastructure Corporation to reduce the size of its proposed wind farm in Howard Township.
Megan Hunter, Capstone’s senior manager of communications, said concerns from citizens over the possibility of black shale in the original area of the proposed Crossfield Wind Farm forced the company to take a second look at the location.
“We listened to what folks had to say and went back and did some more homework, and so we have significantly reduced the project study area,” Hunter told the Ridgetown Independent News at its second community open house at the Willow Ridge Golf & Country Club in Blenheim on Sept. 8.
The new area for the proposed Crossfield Wind Farm is solely in the former Howard Township., runs between Victoria Road and Orford Road west to east, Selton Line and Reeders-Teetzel Lines north to south.
The original project area included Harwich and Howard Twps, starting near Communication Road to the west, to Duart Road to the east.
Hunter said the new area will consist of a maximum of 18 turbines with a capacity up to 110 megawatts, down from the 30-35 turbine footprint that Crossfield had pursued for a 200-megawatt wind farm.
Crossfield laid out its plans at an open house on June 26, also at Willow Ridge, and has posted updated information on its website.
In response, the CK Concerned Citizens Group hosted an information session at the Ridgetown Br. 243 Legion on July 31.
Dr. Keith Benn, a professional geoscientist from Port Lambton, and several residents in the Dover and Chatham Twp. area shared their nightmarish experiences of their private water wells being contaminated as a result of ground turbulence created by the installation and operation of industrial wind turbines in the 2010s.
Attendees were told that the same Kettle Point black shale that was blamed for the water well contamination in North Kent is also located in Capstone’s original project area.
Hunter said Capstone conducted geotechnical and hydrological studies on the soil and subsurface in both project areas.
She said the investigation showed there is no black shale in the new project area.
“We tried to do our best to minimize any potential impacts,” Hunter said. “Although many more studies will still have to be done if (the project) moves forward.”
Hunter also said Capstone will be using gravity foundations, which would only go about three metres into the ground, unlike the pile foundations that were used in North Kent that went deeper into the bedrock.
“So, for both those reasons, we think it’s a significant improvement in terms of addressing folks’ concerns,” Hunter said.
She added that more studies will have to be conducted to determine the exact locations of the turbines if their project is approved.
The next step for Capstone is to make a presentation at the Oct. 6 Chatham-Kent council meeting, seeking municipal support to move their project to the Independent Energy System Operator.
Capstone’s proposed wind farm is one of two that will come to council on Oct. 6.
Officials from EDF Power Solutions will be seeking council support for their proposed Botany Wind Farm, planned for Harwich and Howard Twps.
The map, posted on EDF’s website, shows the wind farm runs from roughly from Harwich Road to the west, Fairview Line and Fysh Line to the north, Kenesserie Road to the east, Ridge Line and O’Neill Line to the south.
The proposed boundary is less than two miles to the north and northwest of Ridgetown, and less than two miles south of Thamesville.
Mark Gallagher, a director at EDF Power Solutions, told citizens at an Aug. 27 open house in Ridgetown that the proposed wind farm will be up to 100 megawatts with 15 to 18 turbines.
Coincidentally, EDF’s Botany Wind Farm project takes in some of the western portion of Capstone’s original Crossfield Wind Farm proposed area.
Hunter denied suggestions that the two companies are working together to build the wind farms, since EDF is taking in some of the area Capstone relinquished.
“We are in no way affiliated with that project,” Hunter declared.
She said the two companies’ proposed projects are a result of the call for power by the Independent Electricity System, as the Ontario government is pushing for up to a 75 per cent increase in electricity by 2050.
“It’s a competitive process, so there are lots of independent power producers that are looking to bid for new projects,” Hunter said.
Ryan Jacques, Director of Planning Services for Chatham-Kent, said Capstone and EDF are the only two companies that made submissions to the municipality by the Sept. 8 deadline, squashing rumours that have been circulating about a third company interested in setting up a wind farm in Chatham-Kent.
Council will have the ultimate decision on any new power projects in Chatham-Kent.
