Pictou County gas power plants move forward with environmental approval
CBC
The Nova Scotia Department of Environment has given conditional approval to two proposed power plants in Pictou County.
The grid operator that’s pushing for construction of the plants says this is a positive step toward bolstering the province’s electricity system, but some community members say they’re disappointed to be one step closer to having industrial activity in their backyards.
“Nine million litres of diesel oil up on the hill above all our wells … it is so dangerous,” said Holly Irons, who lives within a kilometre of the Salt Springs, N.S., site.
“If there's a leak, all our wells are ruined.”
The plants are meant to operate primarily off natural gas from the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, and secondarily by fuel oils that would be stored on the site. According to the environmental assessment documents, each plant would keep a five-day supply of fuel oil, equivalent to about nine million litres.
The Independent Energy System Operator (IESO) applied for approval of the two plants, but it intends to eventually hand the projects over to a private developer that will build, own and operate them. The IESO is currently going through a procurement process for a developer.
IESO president Johnny Johnston said the approvals are “a step in the right direction.”
“And one of many as we sort of work our way through getting all the approvals that we’ll ultimately need to get these critical facilities on the ground for Nova Scotians,” he said in an interview.
Johnston said at least one and possibly two 300-megawatt fast-acting generators need to be added to the power grid to provide backup power at times of peak demand.
He said the IESO will follow every obligation to protect the environment.
Some public submissions to the province suggest the IESO should be focusing on battery storage as a backup power source, but Johnston has said that both gas-powered generators and grid-scale batteries are needed and the IESO intends to procure more battery sites down the road.
The approval from Environment Minister Tim Halman includes conditions that are typical of industrial projects, including requirements for environmental management plans and monitoring, as well as public engagement.
The approval stipulates there has to be a community liaison committee for the duration of the projects. Such a committee already exists and Peggy Simpkin, who lives near the Salt Springs site, is a member. But she said so far it’s been “dysfunctional,” with meetings repeatedly cancelled.
“They haven't taken the inputs or the questions [of the committee].… Is that going to continue? And why would anybody want to be a member of that?” said Simpkin.
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