Termination of White Pines Wind Explained

Todd Smith on White Pines Wind Termination

According to articles published in the Globe and Mail, National Post and Toronto Star over the last couple of weeks, wpd is distorting the story of the development of the White Pines Project by presenting itself as a victim of the impending legislation. In fact, Dr. Brosamle, CEO of Wpd AG, asked for reconsideration of the cancellation of White Pines, saying that cancellation was due to “no fault of its own”. Here’s an op-ed written by Gary Mooney and published in last week’s Times documenting ten major failings / faults of Wpd that justify cancellation of the project. You can read it here.

As previously reported, the new government passed the White Pines Wind Project Termination Act (WPWPTA) on July 25. In a statement made in the Ontario Legislature on July 25th, Todd Smith stood up and clarified the reasons for cancelling the wpd White Pines Wind Project and provided answers to NDP and Liberal critics as wells as these newspaper articles. It is highly recommended that you view Todd Smith’s speech in the Legislature by clicking here.

These are some of the facts that Todd Smith told the legislature about wpd and the White Pines Wind Project:

1. Todd repeated several times the PC Conservative slogan “A Promise Made, Promise Kept”. and included a County slogan to “Keep the County Naturally Green, Turbine Free”.
2. He responded to claims of damage to the reputation of the Ontario government for cancelling the wpd White Pines Wind Project.
3. This government does not fear contractual chill within Ontario because wpd did not honour it’s agreements with the province
4. Wpd missed milestone dates (2 years past long stop date)
5. wpd’s inability to comply with the terms of its original Feed-In-Tarif (FIT) contract that required wpd to produce 75% of the original nameplate capacity. With the removal of wind turbines by the Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT) for environmental reasons and due to poor placement, only 9 out of the original 29 proposed turbines remained reducing the capacity from 60MW down to about 18MW.
6. The IESO amended the power contract to support the new capacity without public consultation or notice
7. To protect endangered species, wpd was charged 3 times by the Ministry of the Environment
8. wpd’s continued non-stop construction during the Blanding’s Turtle Active Season (May 1 to Oct 15th) which was contrary to the Renewable Energy Approval (REA) Avoidance Measures and after telling the ERT it would not do so
9. wpd’s defiance of the impending legislation by accelerating construction after the July 10th announcement to terminate the project even after they were advised by IESO it is in wpd’s best interest to stop construction immediately
10. With the embedded solar capacity in PEC, there is a legitimate question that the County is already a net neutral municipality
11. In April 2018, Todd had a conversation with the IESO and conveyed to them how important the wpd White Pines Wind Project would be to a new government and that it would likely be terminated if the PC Conservatives won the election.
12. The IESO issued the Notice to Proceed (NTP) on May 11th, 2 days into the election campaign and in violation to the caretaker convention. This is highly irregular and counter to government policy
13. Todd also named some of the many County residents that have been involved in the fight for many, many years
14. wpd’s consistent disrespected for local opposition and with APPEC’s legal action / appeals
15. wpd and the government at the time ignored the fact the Prince Edward County declared themselves an Unwilling Host.
16. With the Ostrander Point Wind Project terminated by that ERT due to environmental reasons and in protection of endangered species along the Prince Edward County South Shore, wpd and the government at the time ignored the conclusions of the ERT and kept on with legal action for wpd White Pines Wind causing County residents enormous costs to fund the legal appeals. The government at the time and wpd should have known it would not end well with White Pines as the project got significantly reduced.
17. There was a referendum in South Marysburgh where 90% voted against having wind turbines