Prentice pushes Muskrat Falls power project

By JOANN ALBERSTAT Business Reporter
Thu, Sep 29 - 7:20 AM

The Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project should go ahead even though an environmental assessment has raised questions about the need for it, says a former federal environment minister.

Jim Prentice, who appointed the review panel that says the proposed $6.2-billion project should be studied further, told a Halifax business audience Wednesday that the federal and Newfoundland and Labrador governments should continue to support the development.

"It is a transformational project for Atlantic Canada that will take the region and our country to a new level of industrial development," said Prentice, now senior executive vice-president of CIBC.

The Calgary lawyer, who left federal politics in November 2010, said he respects the regulatory process, but he added that the final decision on such megaprojects rests with politicians.

"In my opinion, the federal government has done the right thing in supporting the development of the remaining hydropower potential of the Churchill River.

"And in the days ahead, the voters in Newfoundland and Labrador will have the opportunity to voice their opinion as well."

The former Tory cabinet minister said after his speech he wasn’t trying to sway voters in Newfoundland and Labrador’s Oct. 11 provincial election.

"I’m here speaking on behalf of our bank and we are supportive of the project," he told reporters. "The voters in that province will make their choice in the days ahead."

Prentice said a study commissioned by Nalcor Energy, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Crown energy corporation, after the review panel report has helped answer questions about the project’s benefits.

The development includes sending some of the power generated in Labrador to Newfoundland, then on to Nova Scotia by a subsea cable.

Nalcor is partnered on the project with Emera Inc., the private energy firm that owns Nova Scotia Power.

Emera would spend $1.2 billion to build a 180-kilometre subsea link between Cape Ray, N.L., and Lingan.

Nalcor president Ed Martin, who was in the audience at the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council event, said Newfoundland and Labrador’s Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities is also reviewing the project at the province’s request.

"Any type of report or information that we receive, and any questions, we welcome them," Martin told reporters.

"We’ve been very clear about that. We take them in and work with that."

The board’s report is expected by the end of this year or early in 2012, he said.

Meanwhile, preliminary engineering and other work on the project continues, Martin said.

"We’re continuing to do a job. We’re confident in the information we’ve presented. We’re confident in the project."

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1265688.html

N.S. feels pressure to develop marine energy industry

By ROGER TAYLOR
Chronicle Herald Sports Columnist
Wed, Sep 28 - 4:55 AM

The Nova Scotia government is assuming development of "marine renewable energy" is going to be big, but just how big?

Considering there isn’t even a policy framework established for development of marine energy — tidal, wave and offshore wind — and there isn’t even a reliable technology available to harness the tides of the Bay of Fundy, the government could be accused of jumping the gun.

And yet the Energy Department has a lengthy study that attempts to assess communities that would benefit most from the development of marine energy in Nova Scotia, which was the message the government wanted when consultants were hired in March.

Even if marine energy eventually becomes a major industry, at this point, nobody really knows how the technology will develop, what it will look like and who will benefit. In fact, the consultants recommend the province conduct another infrastructure assessment in about four or five years.

"We know what we have; we’re not yet at the ‘tipping point’ — you might have noticed those words in there — so it’s hard to predict exactly what the industry is going to require as technology changes in the future," admits Energy Minister Charlie Parker.

But he told me the government is feeling the pressure to become a leader in this industry or lose out to competitors in other parts of the world.

In a phone conversation Tuesday, Parker said the main focus of the infrastructure study was to provide an inventory of ports around tidal energy projects in the Bay of Fundy. He said it puts a particular emphasis on communities close to the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy tidal power demonstration project near Parrsboro.

"It will help communities to identify what they have and perhaps what they may need, as time goes by, to become a major port in the renewable energy sector."

There aren’t any plans at the moment for development of wind farms or wave energy technology off the Nova Scotia coast, Parker said, but there are offshore wind and wave projects in other parts of the world, which means there is the potential it could be developed here.

Although there are experts who advise the government to be cautious as it tries to develop new energy opportunities offshore, Parker said things are happening quickly in the renewable energy business, which offers an opportunity to create a lot of employment in Nova Scotia.

"Within the next few months, we’ll have our tidal strategy fully completed and moving towards legislation probably by next spring. So, it is a step-by-step process to develop our industry.

"We have a lot of potential to produce energy from within the Bay of Fundy and from these other sources, but we also have the potential to develop an industry here — engineering, technology, supply and service industry, it all goes together."

The study concludes that some tidal power developers, particularly those using base structures designed to float, will likely plan to conduct some operations from ports such as Hantsport or Parrsboro, which are dry at low tide. Ramps or floating dry docks can be constructed to allow marine energy structures to be put floated in the same way boats are launched.

If future demand for offshore wind power generation is to be met, the consultants suggest that "significant production, assembly and deployment facilities will be required." And since it is difficult to transport large offshore foundations, manufacturing facilities would need to be created near "major coastal locations."

Parker said the private sector will develop the marine energy industry but government has a role to play.

"Our job is to be the regulator, to set up the framework that allows this technology to move forward."

He expects the federal and provincial governments to work together to establish one offshore regulator to oversee the development of this new industry.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1265512.html

Battle of the blades

Dozens of humongous wind turbine parts begin journey to Amherst power project
By BILL POWER Business Reporter
Wed, Sep 28 - 4:55 AM

IT LOOKED LIKE AN outtake from one of the Transformer’s films as dozens of monster components for the $61-million Amherst wind project were readied Tuesday at the Port of Halifax for transport to the assembly site.

"This is exciting for us, as it is the first location that the new Suzlon model S97 turbines have been installed as a group in North America," said Derek Lim Soo, vice-president of sales and marketing for Suzlon Wind Energy Corp. in North America.

Each of the 48-metre-long turbine blades — three for each turbine for a total of 36 blades — will be mounted on custom-configured flatbeds to be moved out of the city beginning after midnight Thursday.

The 15 connecting hubs (which hold the blades) and also the nacelles (which include the gears and generators) of the units will also occupy an impressive bit of road during transport.

"All the components for one turbine will arrive each working day and we allow about four days for installation for each unit, weather permitting," said Lim Soo, affiliated with the international company’s Toronto office.

With the exception of the towers that are being made by DSTN Trenton Ltd., the assorted blades, hubs and peripherals to be transported to Amherst over the next couple of weeks will have the capacity to power about 10,000 homes when commissioned in about six months.

The erection of the turbines at the site about five kilometres outside Amherst will make for an impressive vista for motorists approaching the province from New Brunswick, said Jeff Jenner, chief executive officer of Sprott Power Corp., a Toronto partner in the project.

"As people enter the province, they will be able to see them for miles around," Jenner said.

The completed wind farm will be worth about $150,000 in annual tax revenue for the Municipality of County of Cumberland and will create the equivalent of five direct and indirect jobs for maintenance and site upkeep for the life of the wind farm.

Each turbine will be assembled on the ground and hoisted into place with a giant crane.

Halifax-area residents will have limited opportunities to watch the unusual convoy of big trucks as the city requires the loads be moved — via Bedford Highway — outside of its boundaries at night, when there is minimal traffic.

Once outside the Halifax area, there should be ample opportunity to catch each convey of at least 11 trucks during the week along the route up to the assembly site.

Considering each turbine blade is about the length of a downtown Halifax city block, the shipments should be hard to miss.

Premier Darrell Dexter said the project will help the province achieve its renewable energy targets, which he described as among the most aggressive in North America.

"Over the past six years, the price of coal has risen 75 per cent," Dexter said, referring to the province’s reliance of coal for electrical generation.

"The government has established aggressive targets to help reduce the dependence of fossil fuels, a move that will make life more affordable for families by ensuring lower, more stable power rates in the long term."

Suzlon Wind Energy, the world’s fifth-largest manufacturer of wind turbines, is already in talks with other parties in Nova Scotia interested in using their technology for their projects.

"However, these negotiations are currently underway and we’re not in a position to discuss who our potential clients may be," said Lim Soo.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1265568.html

Homeowners oppose cell tower

EastLink wants to build 76-metre tower
By GORDON DELANEY Valley Bureau
Mon, Sep 26 - 4:55 AM

WEST BROOKLYN — Residents of West Brooklyn are lining up in opposition to a proposed telecommunications tower in their neighbourhood.

EastLink is proposing a 76-metre cellphone tower at 316 West Brooklyn Rd., near Avonport. It would be on a 1.6-hectare site less than 304 metres from the nearest house.

"As part of our continued investment in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, we are well underway in designing and building infrastructure that will enable a world-class wireless service seamlessly throughout the province," EastLink spokeswoman Jill Laing said in an email message.

"To date, we have about 30 telecommunications sites under construction across the province. We continue to work closely with community stakeholders to ensure that telecommunications structures satisfy Nova Scotians’ wireless needs, while minimizing impact to the local community."

But Stanley Moeller, who lives across the road from the proposed site, said people in the community are unhappy with the location and want it moved farther away.

There are about 50 houses in the area, and residents are circulating a petition opposing the location. They are citing concerns about the impact on their health, environmental issues and property valuations.

According to its application with the Municipality of the County of Kings, EastLink plans to lease the land from an absentee landowner. Because the property is less than four hectares, it is not subject to an environmental assessment.

"We’re not saying don’t put it up here," Moeller said in a recent interview. "We’re saying we want the company to talk to us, hear our concerns and move it farther back from the houses.

"Why is an alternative site not possible?"

Moeller said he moved to the area, with its picturesque views of the Annapolis Valley and Cape Blomidon in the distance, because it is a quiet rural community.

"Why would you want to live in a rural place and then have an industrial tower plunked right in your backyard?" he asked.

Residents met last week to gather ammunition to fight the development. Under the consultation process, EastLink is hosting a public meeting at the West Brooklyn community hall tonight, beginning at 7 p.m. The company plans to provide information on the proposed tower and listen to feedback from residents.

"This is our one opportunity to express our concerns," said Moeller.

Ruth Legge lives with her daughter and young granddaughter less than 304 metres from the proposed tower.

"Basic quality of life is what it comes down to," Legge said in an interview. "We live here and it’s beautiful and unspoiled. This tower is just so out of place and inappropriate. I’m sure they could site it someplace where it’s not literally in people’s backyards."

She said the tower would block the panoramic view many houses in the area have.

"We love the view that we’ve got."

Legge said the site is close to a wetland and the guide wires would block a flight path for migratory birds.

Laing said the tower is not a done deal.

"This is a proposed location," she said in an interview. "This has not been finalized. . . . That’s precisely the reason for the public meeting, to get feedback and be able to answer questions and figure out the next step."

She said EastLink plans to launch its wireless service in 2012 to bring competition to Nova Scotia.

"We are in the process of developing a wireless voice and data network capable of supporting the most advanced applications and providing the best value for Nova Scotians."

She said the company’s entry into the wireless cellphone market could save consumers millions of dollars.

"Throughout Nova Scotia, we are identifying proposed locations to either co-locate on an existing telecommunications structure, our preferred option where feasible, or build a new one."

Moeller said a large contingent of residents plan to show up at the public meeting tonight.

"Even though we were given very short notice . . . the goal is clear. Our community simply does not want that tower in our neighbourhood."

http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1265140.html

Water power needed

Dal oceanographer endorses tidal energy projects on Bay of Fundy
By DAVID JACKSON Provincial Reporter
Thu, Sep 22 - 4:55 AM

Dalhousie University oceanographer Bob Fournier says the government needs a tidal power strategy before allowing development, but current test projects are OK.

Fournier said that’s likely the most important of the 27 recommendations he made to the province in a report released Wednesday.

He said the strategic plan for marine renewable energy should focus on tidal in-stream efforts. It should look at a five-year horizon and encompass the four areas examined in his report — planning, socioeconomic, research and regulatory issues. He said there are more than 50 issues to consider.

"All the issues that we’re addressing should be in that strategic plan, at least in a general sense, and in some cases very specifically," he said.

Fournier’s 27 recommendations also include creating a "trusted regulator" to help developers navigate various regulators, developing a business plan on the competitiveness of in-stream tidal power, and researching the potential impact of future large-scale use of the Bay of Fundy.

Four groups are planning to test turbines in the bay next year in hopes of harnessing the powerful tides to generate electricity.

Nova Scotia Power and partner OpenHydro of Ireland put a $10-million turbine in the Bay of Fundy in November 2009 but the tides made short work of it. Damaged blades meant the 10-metre-tall turbine had to be removed two years earlier than planned.

Fournier said he has no problem with the demonstration projects.

"I think that’s quite suitable as a preliminary step," he said.

"When you go from demonstration to commercial, I would say that that would be the departure that would concern me the most, I would think. But I think the strategic plan will be in place by then."

Energy Minister Charlie Parker said he expects the strategy to be ready this fall, with legislation to follow in the spring. He said the government accepted all of Fournier’s recommendations.

The province hired Fournier last fall to lead the consultation on marine renewable energy legislation.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1264421.html

Green developers eye offshore wind

Projects could be part of N.S. renewable plan
By JOANN ALBERSTAT Business Reporter
Fri, Sep 23 - 4:55 AM

Green energy developers are interested in harnessing offshore wind power in Nova Scotia, says an industry expert.

The province announced Wednesday that it is developing a strategy on marine renewable energy. The plan is primarily aimed at tidal power, but offshore wind will be included in the plan.

"We’ve seen (offshore wind) work in Europe," Anthony Ciccone, a Toronto environmental consultant, said in an interview Wednesday.

"There’s a lot of opportunity here to do that. It’s just a question of finding the right market for it."

Ciccone, a principal at Golder Associates Ltd., was in Halifax this week for a renewable energy forum. During a panel Wednesday, he asked provincial officials about the possibility of offshore wind development in this province.

Ciccone, who is involved in a proposal to put wind turbines on Lake Ontario, said the Calgary-based consulting firm recently opened offices in Halifax and St. John’s.

An Energy Department official told the panel the province doesn’t expect a flurry of offshore turbines, although they could be allowed under upcoming legislation.

"It’s fair to say that we’re not looking for a lot of offshore wind in Nova Scotia in the near term and we’re not looking for a lot of offshore wind anywhere near the coastline," said Bruce Cameron, the department’s executive director of renewable and sustainable energy.

Cameron said offshore wind may be a hard sell with the public and not just because of concerns about the possible impact on the fishery.

"From time to time, in coastal communities, there are concerns about onshore wind that may be on their back doorstep. I’m pretty sure that . . . putting it on their front doorstep is going to be a bit of a challenge."

While a large-scale wind farm wouldn’t fly in Mahone Bay, for instance, one may be possible farther out on the Scotian Shelf, Cameron said.

A Nova Scotia Power executive told the panel that onshore turbines would likely be given preference over offshore ones.

"At this stage, there are a number of good onshore sites available," said Robin McAdam, the utility’s vice-president of sustainability.

Across Canada, some proposed offshore wind projects have stalled recently.

A British Columbia project that included up to 110 turbines hit a hurdle in March 2010 when BC Hydro dropped it from a list of green energy projects being considered, according to CBC News.

Three similar farms planned for Ontario’s Great Lakes have been in limbo since February, when the province placed a moratorium on such projects, saying more study was needed, CBC reported on its website in March.

Nova Scotia’s marine renewable energy plan will be based on a report by Dalhousie University oceanographer Bob Fournier. Energy Minister Charlie Parker said Wednesday he accepted Fournier’s 27 recommendations.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1264569.html

At odds over renewable energy

NDP, Tories play blame game over energy costs
By DAVID JACKSON Provincial Reporter
Fri, Sep 23 - 4:55 AM

Premier Darrell Dexter and Tory Leader Jamie Baillie traded offers of blackboard lessons Thursday as they debated the cost of renewable energy to power consumers.

The Tories have for weeks chided the Dexter government about its renewable energy targets driving up costs.

A Tory news release Wednesday said it appeared about 25 per cent of the proposed electricity rate hike was attributable to government policies, but a caucus spokeswoman said Thursday the power costs are so intertwined that a definite figure is unknown.

Dexter accused the third-place party of advocating a fossil fuel policy that led to a 35 per cent increase in electricity costs from 2002 to 2009. He also said the price of coal, Nova Scotia Power’s main fuel, is up 75 per cent in the last six years.

"Maybe the next time I try to explain it, maybe I should use a blackboard because it’s a choice between having a graph line that continues to go up, and one that allows you to create a stable energy price or a flat line," Dexter said.

"I’m not sure why they have so much difficulty trying to grasp the simple concept that, you know, the faster you can get to stable energy prices, the better off the public is."

Baillie said renewable energy sources are the way to go, but at a pace Nova Scotians can afford.

"If we’re going to get a blackboard out, I would like to teach him Economics 101, that raising the HST and forcing power prices up costs jobs and it hurts families."

The provincial Utility and Review Board is considering an agreement between Nova Scotia Power and most of its customer groups for an average increase of a little more than five per cent in 2012. It would add about a $6 a month to the average household power bill.

The Dexter government wants 25 per cent of the province’s electricity to be generated from renewable energy, such as wind, biomass and tidal energy, by 2015, and 40 per cent by 2020.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1264642.html

Nova Scotia Power may have finally heeded its wakeup call

By ROGER TAYLOR Business Columnist
Tue, Sep 20 - 4:54 AM

Could it be that Nova Scotia Power Inc. is starting to clue in to the consequences of higher power rates?

The provincial power monopoly announced Monday that it had reached an agreement with advocates who act on behalf of consumers and industry on its latest rate application.

Not surprisingly, the negotiated rate increase is less than its initial application in May.

If the deal is ultimately approved by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, it would mean that residential customers will see their power rates increased by an average of about five per cent next year, which someone has calculated would mean $6 added to the average monthly residential bill.

The revised increase is down from the 7.2 per cent the utility had originally asked for in its rate application to the review board.

The agreement would also defer until its next rate application the power company’s recovery of any fixed costs that may come about as a result of the indefinite closure of the NewPage Port Hawkesbury Ltd. paper mill in Cape Breton.

Ratepayers couldn’t be blamed for being fed up with what seem to be yearly power rate increases and had been bracing themselves for another boost this fall.

Nova Scotia Power is a monopoly and one of Nova Scotia’s largest employers, so it isn’t a stretch to suggest that what’s good for Nova Scotia is probably good for Nova Scotia Power. Vice versa isn’t necessarily true.

Even though the utility is regularly put through a wringer by the regulator to justify the increase it requests, ordinary ratepayers see the company’s return on equity, which is its profit margin, and they automatically think that number is too high.

In the past, that criticism was brushed aside with a number of explanations, such as the Nova Scotia Power rate is similar to what other utilities were making or the regulator set the rate of return and the power company has little authority to change it.

In the agreement announced Monday, the increase in the rate of return Nova Scotia Power will be seeking has been reduced to 9.2 per cent instead of a range of 9.35 to 9.6 per cent in the initial application.

When NewPage, one of Nova Scotia Power’s largest customers, sought protection from creditors recently, citing the high cost of electricity as one of the biggest reasons, it was a wakeup call for the power company and, frankly, everyone in the province.

Perhaps the management at Nova Scotia Power realized it wasn’t prudent business practice to continually ask the regulator to increase rates, even though those increases could be justified in some way, because it forced people to use less power.

Higher rates may appear to pay off for the power company’s bottom line, but it doesn’t make sense if it means Nova Scotia Power could be forcing many of its customers out of business or to seek lower energy prices in other provinces.

If Nova Scotia Power had not been part of a regulated industry in its home province, it could be argued the power company would be less likely to jack up power rates simply because it felt the need to provide a certain rate of return. In that case, the utility would have to be conscious of the potential for competitors to swoop in and take away market share by offering a more competitive price for electricity.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1264189.html

NSP offers reduced rate hike

Proposal would increase residential customers’ bills by $6 a month in 2012
By BRUCE ERSKINE Business Reporter
Tue, Sep 20 - 4:54 AM

Residential customers will pay about $6 more a month for electricity in 2012 under a rate settlement deal tabled Monday with the Utility and Review Board.

The agreement, subject to board approval, will increase power rates by an average of about five per cent next year, down from the 7.2 per cent Nova Scotia Power Inc. asked for in a filing with the board in May.

"I think it’s a very good settlement for ratepayers, obviously," said provincially appointed consumer advocate John Merrick after the agreement was announced at the start of a scheduled hearing on the rate increase application.

"It’s brought down the request for revenue increases by about $24 (million) or $25 million — we’re still working the calculation of the fine numbers — the executive bonuses are gone, the rate of return that they were seeking to increase from 9.35 (per cent) to 9.6 is down to 9.2," Merrick said.

"We think they moved considerably; they moved to where we wanted them to be and we’re quite comfortable with the outcome."

The agreement reduces Nova Scotia Power’s revenue requirements for 2012 to $66.5 million from $94.4 million.

Merrick, a Halifax lawyer, said the return on equity concession was particularly important, since it governs the amount of money Nova Scotia Power is allowed to put in its own pocket.

"That’s been something that’s troubled us for some time. We started out wanting to see that reduced and it got reduced."

Return on equity is fixed at 9.2 per cent for 2012, with an allowed range of 9.1 per cent to 9.5 per cent.

The agreement includes a deferral mechanism that will allow Nova Scotia Power to recover about $30 million in fixed costs for 2012 associated with this month’s shutdown of the NewPage Port Hawkesbury paper mill, the utility’s largest customer.

"The differential for the load retention of NewPage is still a cost that consumers are going to have to pick up," Merrick said. "All we’ve managed to do is to defer it for one year."

The consumer advocate said his office will push Nova Scotia Power to minimize the impact of the NewPage closure, which he said could increase consumer rates by another two to three percentage points.

Rob Bennett, Nova Scotia Power’s president and CEO, said he was happy with the agreement, which maintains tree-clearing and storm repair budgets for 2012 at current levels.

"We’re trying to create a new energy future here in Nova Scotia and this open, transparent dialogue with customers is an important part of that," he said Monday.

Bennett said the agreement reflects the utility’s efforts to move away from its dependency on fossil fuels such as coal toward more renewable energy sources.

"Fossil fuels are a huge part of the driving force behind rate increases and they have been for years. We’re trying to change that."

Government-mandated conservation charges could add another two percentage points to consumer rates, but Bennett said conservation will ultimately save customers money.

"While rates may be impacted slightly by conservation programs, we have to remember that that allows the average customer to save money on their power bill."

Premier Darrell Dexter said he’s looking forward to the review board’s reaction to the agreement.

"Anything that’s less than what was anticipated will be welcome, but the reality is that it’s still tougher, when the cost of electricity goes up, for people to make ends meet," Dexter said Monday.

He said the rate increase underlines the need to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels to generate electricity.

"What people have to understand is that the price of coal over the last six years has gone up by 75 per cent. The only way that we can stop the price of power from going up is to stop buying coal.

"So we need to have a program that gets us off of those kinds of fossil fuels into renewables."

Progressive Conservative Leader Jamie Baillie applauded the agreement’s return on equity and executive bonus concessions, which mirror legislation his party plans to table in the next sitting of the legislature.

"There’s a lot government can do to moderate power rates," he said.

Utility spokesman David

Rodenhiser said 2012 executive compensation incentives aren’t being cut but the 50 per cent portion that previously came from rates will come from shareholders.

Power company representatives will answer questions about the proposal from review board members and interveners on Wednesday.

Nova Scotia Power stock was trading for $27.50 a share on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Monday afternoon, down 13 cents from its previous close.

With files from David Jackson

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1264042.html

Cape Breton Tidal energy project proposal on the way

Mon, Sep 19 - 4:54 AM

SYDNEY — The group behind a tidal energy venture in central Cape Breton is expected to submit its proposal to the province today.

Central Cape Breton Community Ventures wants to develop a multimillion-dollar marine research centre in Iona in partnership with Fundy Tidal Inc.

The project would be powered by the strong currents in the Barra Strait on the Bras d’Or Lakes.

The proposed marine science centre would focus on research of the lake’s marine ecosystem.

Randy Pointkoski, a spokesman for Central Cape Breton Community Ventures, said the research facility and power station could cost between $30 million and $33 million.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1263832.html

Hear about Glen Dhu expansion today

Mon, Sep 19 - 4:54 AM

The company that built a set of wind turbines east of New Glasgow is holding a public meeting today to inform citizens of a proposed expansion.

Shear Wind Inc. of Halifax is moving through the environmental assessment stages to develop a 50-megawatt wind farm at Glen Dhu.

Known as Glen Dhu South, it would be a continuation of Glen Dhu North, which opened last May, chief operating officer Ian Tillard said in a news release.

The proposal is in response to a planned request for bids from Nova Scotia’s renewable electricity administrator, Power Advisory LLC, Tillard said.

Two public sessions will be held today at Kenzieville & District Community Centre. The first is from 1 to 3 p.m. and the second is from 5 to 7 p.m.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1263964.html

Amherst Turbine parts set to be assembled

By CHRIS LAMBIE Business Editor
Tue, Sep 13 - 4:54 AM

Like a giant toy set, Sprott Power Corp. is assembling the parts for its $61-million Amherst wind project.

Thirty-six 48-metre-long turbine blades, manufactured in Spain by L&M Fibreglass Inc., are now sitting at the Ocean Terminals in Halifax, with another nine scheduled to arrive at the end of this week. Starting the middle of next month, they will be trucked to the wind farm located on a sod farm near the Tantramar Marshes.

The hubs that contain the gearboxes, generators and other electronic equipment, manufactured in India for Suzlon Energy Ltd., are slated to arrive by ship in the Port of Halifax this weekend. Towers made at the former TrentonWorks railcar plant now known as DSTN Trenton Ltd. will also be part of the project.

"It’s like one big giant Lego set," Jeff Jenner, president and chief executive officer of Sprott Power Corp. of Toronto, said Monday.

Now the weather just has to co-operate for a timeline that aims to see construction completed late this year or in early 2012.

"You’re always subject to construction risk," Jenner said. "Hopefully Nova Scotia has its summer now. It didn’t have a summer in the last two months. Hopefully it’s nice and hot and dry for the next couple of months. It makes for easier construction."

The project is slated to include 15 turbines that will, all told, have a capacity of 31.5 megawatts, enough to power 10,000 homes.

They are expected to first produce power in the first quarter of 2012.

"It’s still looking good," Jenner said of that agenda.

Sprott could face penalties if it doesn’t fulfil its contract with Nova Scotia Power by August.

"So we have a fairly comfortable timeline," he said, noting Sprott has "offsetting contractual penalties for late delivery" arranged with Suzlon, its main contractor, and Indiana-based White Construction, Inc.

The first foundation was poured on the Amherst site last week, Jenner said.

"All the roads are done and about half of the foundations are in various process of completion. Once the foundations are done, obviously the towers and the blades will begin to roll to the project, probably within 30 days."

Moving the blades is a delicate operation. Two of them may fit on a transport trailer, but the truck driver will have to avoid sharp turns and drive slowly.

"Forty-eight metres doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s half a football field," Jenner said. "To have something that’s somewhat fragile move without bending or breaking it takes a lot of effort. . . . The reason we’re in the Port of Halifax is it’s a reasonably straight shot to get out of Halifax and on the road to Amherst."

South Korea-based Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering and the provincial government took over the Trenton plant last year with the aim of manufacturing steel towers for wind turbines.

"The towers are beginning to roll out of DSTN," Jenner said, noting that those 80-metre-tall structures will be trucked to Amherst in sections.

"Each tower, once it’s assembled, is 25 storeys high. But they come in three or four sections."

Most of the subcontractors working on the Amherst project are local, he said.

"I expect there are roughly 50 total people at the site right now," Jenner said.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1262970.html

Renewable energy plan attracts wind farm developers

By JOANN ALBERSTAT Business Reporter
Fri, Sep 9 - 4:54 AM

It looks like there will be no shortage of wind farm developers bidding early next year to get their projects off the ground.

About 80 people, most representing wind energy companies, took part in a meeting Thursday in Halifax hosted by the province’s renewable electricity administrator.

"It’s a small pond with a lot of big fish in it," Dan Roscoe, chief operating officer of Dartmouth’s Scotian WindFields, said.

"There’s a lot of big players, a lot of international companies, and, really, we’re looking at three or four projects."

The renewable energy plan requires Nova Scotia Power to buy 300 gigawatt hours per year of electricity from independent producers as part of the province’s next round of renewable energy electricity projects. That’s equal to 100 megawatts of wind power.

The province wants to have 25 per cent of electricity come from renewable sources by 2015, and 40 per cent by 2020.

John Dalton, whose Massachusetts company is overseeing the bid process, said the preliminary plan was to have independent producers notify him of their intentions by Oct. 20.

"One party has already indicated the schedule is too aggressive; they’d like more time," the president of Power Advisory said at the start of the meeting.

While the administrator said he’ll consider making changes, others in the audience agreed with the proposed timeline, which would see projects be in service by Jan. 1, 2015.

Independent producers will have to submit their proposals in February and March. The administrator will review them and make recommendations to the Utility and Review Board.

The provincial regulator makes the final decision, with winners being announced in April.

Independent producers shared varying opinions Thursday on whether they should be able to win more than one contract.

The administrator’s initial plan includes such a restriction and also limits project capacity to 50 megawatts.

"We’re going to assess that whole situation," Mike Magnus, president and chief executive officer of Shear Wind, said during a break when asked about the one-contract restriction.

"From the question and answer (session), obviously they’ve got to reassess it as well. It’s a concern."

Shear Wind would like to expand its Glen Dhu wind farm, a 62.1-megawatt facility between Pictou and Antigonish counties, which opened earlier this year. The company has also proposed a 50-megawatt development near Parrsboro, Cumberland County.

Dalton said the feedback will be used to help develop program guidelines this fall.

"We’ve got a good group of prospective bidders in the room," he said after the session.

"We’ve had some good, frank feedback, which we can use to help us refine the proposals that we’ve put forward."

For instance, Dalton said it might be possible to allow developers to be involved in more than one winning bid as long as there are limits on their overall share.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1262333.html

Way to Windmills

Amherst Daily News

31st August 2011

AMHERST – Those who guessed a new road under construction behind Athol Forestry on Highway 2 in Fort Lawrence is related to the Sprott Power wind turbine project are correct.

“It’s a right-of-way across several parcels of land,” said Penny Henneberry, director of planning and development for the Municipality of Cumberland County.

Trucks laden with building materials for the 15-turbine project can be very long. Henneberry said the blades for the wind turbines now under construction can be up to 50 metres in length. The ROW is being built so vehicles can make the turn.

The first of the towers is being manufactured at the DSTN facility in Trenton, N.S., and company officials expect they will begin making their way to Amherst this month.

One of the pieces of land crossed is owned by the municipality.

Sprott Power has arranged to lease that crossing for $1 from the county. The wind turbine owners will be held liable for any damages that may occur, according to Henneberry, and the right-of-way is being built at their expense.

“I’m not sure of the route that they are going to take (to bring in windmill sections)”, said Henneberry. The bases for the tall structures are being built “as we speak.”

At least one local contractor is benefiting from the right of way construction.

“We’re just supplying material,” said Richard Beal, owner of Sackville-based Beal & Inch. The New Brunswick company is providing sandstone to the site. Beal declined to provide more detail.

Jeff Jenner CEO of the Sprott Power Corporation was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

The project, announced in June, is expected to cost $61 million and produce enough energy to power 10,000 homes as early as the first quarter of 2012. The turbines are expected to generate about 31.5 megawatts of power.

http://www.cumberlandnewsnow.com/News/Local/2011-08-31/article-2737290/Way-to-windmills/1

Guysborough wants windfall

County warden keen to get into renewable energy
By DAVENE JEFFREY Staff Reporter
Fri, Sep 2 - 4:54 AM

There could be dollars blowing in the wind in Guysborough County, Warden Lloyd Hines says.

The Municipality of the District of Guysborough wants to cash in on a government program that guarantees a price per megawatt hour for community-owned renewable energy projects.

"It’s a no brainer," Hines said in a telephone interview Thursday.

"The investment return on a preliminary look appears to be attractive to municipalities."

The municipality has issued a request for proposals, which closes Sept. 15.

"We are very interested . . . to get some expert advice on what the opportunities are."

A quick glance at the province’s wind atlas (nswindatlas.ca) shows that Guysborough County has some of the windiest points in the province.

Hines said the municipality has been approached several times over the years by multi-national companies interested in setting up wind farms in the area. He said gaining experience with their own small-scale operation will help give the municipality the experience necessary to deal with larger projects.

A proposed site for the turbines is at the county’s landfill.

"It would be a good fit," Hines said, explaining that the operation already uses solar energy and houses recycling facilities and an electronics depot.

Initial estimates show that the turbines would likely cost about $300,000 each. The machines should last about 20 years and would be paid off in about 10 years, Hines said.

The province’s Community Feed-in Tariff program encourages community-owned renewable energy projects by groups such as Mi’kmaq bands, co-operatives, universities, non-profit organizations, community economic development organizations and municipalities.

Groups are allowed to own up to five turbines.

The province has also agreed to extend Municipal Finance Corp. funding to such projects, which will give municipalities access to capital at low rates.

Under program rules, municipalities can have a private partner design, build and operate the project but a private partner cannot have an ownership stake

http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1261354.html

Wind farm fined in deaths

By The Canadian Press and DAVENE JEFFREY Staff Reporter
Thu, Sep 1 - 4:55 AM

A Nova Scotia wind farm operator has been fined $95,000 in the deaths of two young people from carbon monoxide poisoning two years ago.

Rotor Mechanical Service Ltd. of Mount Thom was charged after the bodies of Kyle Elliott, 22, of Brentwood and Mandi Balagot, 18, of Hilden were found in a company maintenance shed in July 2009.

Elliott was a security guard at the site and Balagot was a visitor. They were overcome by fumes from an improperly installed electrical generator in the shed.

Judge Del Atwood said in Pictou provincial court that the $95,000 fine was the largest ever given under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

But Balagot’s mother, Kathy Legere, wasn’t happy with the penalty.

"I get to visit her gravesite daily for something that they did and what they took away from us," a sobbing Legere told CTV News outside court.

Rotor Mechanical president Reuben Burge didn’t want to discuss the fine when reached by cellphone early Wednesday evening.

"It’s an unfortunate incident that has been resolved this way," Burge said.

"Kyle was a good friend and a great employee and that’s how I feel about it. Families have to deal with this, and I do too."

Rotor Mechanical pleaded guilty to three charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The company admitted to failing to ensure the generator was installed and operated to the manufacturer’s recommendations and failing to ensure the health and safety of the two people.

Initially, Burge, RMS Energy — another company he operates — and two other employees were all charged in the deaths, but only Rotor Mechanical was convicted.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1261188.html