Enbridge’s Weyburn wind project open house, Part 1: Setting the stage
It was a contrite Enbridge which presented a second open house in Weyburn for its planned 200 megawatt wind project, to be located east of the community. The project has seen several revisions, and Enbridge representatives repeatedly spoke about correcting mistakes and working with people affected by the proposed project.
Note: This story ended up being so massive, it needed to be broken up into several parts just to make it manageable and yet still allow a great deal of depth on a topic very important to Weyburn.
On top of that, there is a LOT going on in the power space right now, with the Tuesday release of the revised Clean Electricity Regulations and on the same day as the grand opening of the Great Plains Power Station at Moose Jaw which Pipeline Online attended. There’s a lot of catching up to do, so please bear with me. Here’s Enbridge’s Weyburn wind project open house, Part 1: Setting the stage.
I’ve never seen a multi-billion behemoth like Enbridge be so apologetic for wanting to spend around a third of a billion around a community.
Enbridge folks said “apology” or “apologize” five times, and “sorry” twice. I checked my transcript.
I expect they still feel sore about losing Northern Gateway, where First Nations claimed Enbridge spoke to them like they owned the place. It was clear this was an entirely different approach.
“200 megawatt wind project”
They should apologize for stating that lying number right off the get-go.
The number is entirely accurate. However it says nothing about actual energy production at any given time. So it’s not a lie. Wind produces a range of energy when in operation, and that range extends to zero.
Or it extends to 1,000,000.
Or more.
With respect, my point seems pretty obvious that wind promises big and delivers small.
Or zero.
I’d be as overjoyed as a multi-billion dollar food processor like McCain’s opening up a mega-ton cricket-processing facility in my community.
It’s the same principle – a completely unnecessary, unwanted, and less-than-useless project, only given life due to billions first stolen from petroleum companies (and indirectly the citizenry) in carbon taxes, and then partially redistributed to “green” companies. And as that industry contracts and the amounts left to steal dwindle, so will the artificial economic case for wind power.
And then there’s the imbecilic anti-scientific lie of AGW to begin with, and the pile-on lie that CO2 is a driver.
Can’t blame people for being upset. Or are we to become Quebekers, who gleefully accept money stolen from others, regardless the reason?
Yes? People will accept money when it’s offered seemingly for nothing.
But wind power is a trap. As soon as the subsidy and preferential treatment disappears, wind power disappears as well. The Ontario wind power industry almost completely disappeared the instant that Doug Ford’s government repealed the Green Energy Act of 2009. And every single new wind power project vanished like snow in sunshine.
There seems to be a healthy opposition to the project from the community. I can’t really say how strong the opposition is, but I can say that I spoke to a few friends of mine who live in Weyburn, and they’re not thrilled. There’s even a petition against the project, which I signed, of course.
Yes, I live near Weyburn (for the moment), and when I say “near” in remote SK, I mean like within 100km.
(you may also derive from my definition of “near” that I also live “near” the US border with Montana.)
(looks like the Red Wings are getting their arena back… 🙂 )
Have they stated the dollar amount going into a trust for the remediation of the sites at end of life? And, what are the plans to recycle the structures?
My children want to know.
The usual definition of “remediation” for wind turbines means that all of the metal parts are removed. The tower is dismantled and taken away for disposal, along with the blades. The concrete base remains in place.
Typically they promise to clear the land to plow depth. That could mean removing some or all of the base or it could mean scraping the soil off of someone else’s field and building up the level a foot or so. Try growing a crop over that. Good luck
Greg, I agree with you. That little soil depth is worthless. But unless it’s in the lease contract, it doesn’t exist. So like you, I would want to actually see the terms of the lease contract. Unless they are in writing, promises are worth nothing.
There were these animals related to the dinosaurs of the long distant past. We called them birds. Of which many flew in the sky. That’s right, the sky. I’m not kidding.
No more wind and solar until the dumb people who want it tell you how they will build and maintain it without coal, oil and gas. Will everyone please wake up, stop being stupid.
We do own the place. First Nations need to be told that, in no uncertain terms.
Enbridge needs a thorough cleaning out of all the woke crazies that have infested it before they totally destroy the company.
Yes. Enbridge would be a nice investable company if they would stop wasting their shareholders money on stupid crap like this.
Now the clowns are building a billion dollar solar farm in our community to support a Meta data center. Until the hail comes.
Sold all my Enbridge shares over the past two months in response to their inability to stick to their knitting.
If anybody is looking for a site for an SMR, I have a double town lot in Vonda that’s not doing anything right now.
the ontariOWE LIEberals via their ‘greeeeeeeeeeen’ energy act and during the mcguilty and wynnedfarm reign of terror, promised promised promised ALL attending their presentations farmers and rural folk would NOT be forced to have the bird shredders next to their dairy farms.
all a big LIE to neutralize opposition, followed by a massive gubbamint ‘make me’
They will then break them up into smaller groups and handle objections on a one to one basis, without sharing information to the whole group, same as time share salesman. Extremely deceptive!.
The fact that wind cannot operate without preferential power purchase agreements and other subsidies is all the information needed. Wind is uneconomic, befor factoring grid costs to accept the “wobbly” power when produced, regardless of demand.
Here in Windy NS, we have the bird choppers all over the place, they generate 5% of annual power production, but are responsible for 25% of ratepayer’s bills. At $0.175/kwHr, we have also lost all power intensive industry that doesn’t have a sweetheart deal, again borne by taxpayers. Looking at you, Stora and Michelin.
Just maybe all future industrial work & jobs can be scheduled for windy periods, as the rest of us survive on solar and go to bed earlier in winter.
Meanwhile in Alberta, theow a few more GJ’s on the fireplace/furnace.