Controversial plant closer to finding home
Submitted by OCAA on Thu, 05/08/2008 - 04:00.
Georgina Advocate Controversial plant closer to finding home East Gwillimbury and its expansive rural landscape seems to be currying favour from developers as the site for a controversial power plant. The province’s electricity planning agency — the Ontario Power Authority — has approved five developers to bid on building a two-acre, $250-million peaking power plant expected to fire to life in three years. ‘We don’t have a design yet. We’re looking for the community’s thoughts, views and we’ll be making our proposal based on their needs. We want to be a good neighbour.’ Two of those developers have identified sites in East Gwillimbury. Others proposals identified sites in Keswick, at McCowan Road and Glenwoods Avenue, Aurora, on Bloomington Road, between Bayview Avenue and Leslie Street and King Township. Three of the five developers, including Pristine Power, Northland Power and Epcor Energy Centre provided details about their proposals to The Era-Banner. When contacted, TransCanada Energy Ltd. refused to disclose the site of their proposed power plant, saying more work has to be done on the proposal before details can be made available. Sithe Global Canadian Power could not be reached for comment. Alberta’s Pristine Power has selected the Keswick site. Epcor has secured a parcel of land on 2nd Concession, north of Queensville Sideroad. Northland Power is considering three pieces of land, including Aurora, King Township and East Gwillimbury. However, Northland Power executive Sam Mantenuto would not disclose the location of the sites in King and East Gwillimbury. The power authority will outline more specific terms for the peaking plant when its request-for-proposals is issued later this month, said spokesperson Brian Hay. Developers will then have to apply for local zoning permits and environmental approvals from the province. By then, specific details, such as site, cost and size would be released, Mr. Hay said. The power authority could accept proposals up until October or November and a final decision is expected next fall, he said. The plant is expected to operate 10 per cent of the time, during peak demand periods, such as hot summer days. But Mr. Mantenuto said Northland Power has nothing to hide from concerned residents. “I look forward to dealing with concerns. There will always be those who, no matter what you say, don’t want (a peaking plant),” he said. The company expects to conduct presentations at King, Aurora and East Gwillimbury council this month to demonstrate a peaking plant, built by Northland, that will not be too costly, too polluting or too big. “I’m happy to start taking calls from residents tomorrow,” Mr. Mantenuto said. Neil Levine, Epcor’s Ontario manager of public and government relations, agreed. “We don’t have a design yet. We’re looking for the community’s thoughts, views and we’ll be making our proposal based on their needs. We want to be a good neighbour,” said Mr. Levine, adding the company’s East Gwillimbury site abutts the Hwy. 404 extension in a rural setting. Developers could also build a plant in Newmarket, Whitchurch-Stouffville and Simcoe. Opposition to the peaking plant has been led by the Ontario Clean Air Alliance and community groups, such as Mega-What? in Georgina. Last week, Georgina dug in its heels by becoming the first northern York Region municipality to reject a peaking plant in their town, declaring themselves an unwilling host. King politicians didn’t follow Georgina’s lead and Aurora and East Gwillimbury are expected to take a position following presentations from the power authority, opposition groups and residents. Queen’s Park could be forced to choose a site for the peaking plant if municipalities refuse to accept it. The Clean Air Alliance maintains the peaking plant is unnecessary as power consumption has fallen in recent years. It favours energy conservation. However, the power authority has warned growth is outstripping supply and blackouts will occur in York’s northern municipalities, adding either larger hydro towers or a peaking plant must be built. For more information about the Ontario Power Authority, or to view a list of developers bidding on the peaking plant, visit powerauthority.on.ca
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