Community group opposes power generator in King Township
By Anneleen Naudts

Township councillors recently heard both sides of the hydro generation issue: from the Ontario Power Authority (OPA), proposing a generating station for King, and from Concerned Citizens of King Township (CCKT), opposing it.

To help councillors make an objective decision whether or not to support the facility, CAO Scott Somerville suggested Township staff to compile information for their consideration.

OPA, the organization concerned with ensuring the province's long-term electricity supply, has identified King Township as a suitable location for a new power generator.

Jason Chee-Aloy, OPA director of procurements, addressed council regarding the rising electricity demand in Northern York Region. This demand is growing three times faster than the provincial average, he said. The region consumes close to 400 megawatts during summer peak demand.

As a result, the region's electricity system, which has not been updated since the 1990s, now faces several challenges.

The high demand leads to an inadequate transformer and distribution line capacity, as well as an inadequate capacity on the transmission system supplying the area, said Chee-Aloy.

To increase the region's energy capacity, OPA is looking to build a gas-fired peaking generation facility.

It identified King Township to house the facility, though a specific site has not yet been identified.

OPA began its procurement process for the facility in January, and it is accepting proposals for the facility's development. It will then evaluate the proposals' technical specifications, financial strength and development experience.

By December, OPA plans on granting a contract to the most competitive proposal. It expects the facility to be operational by 2011.

The generation facility would occupy the size of two to three soccer fields, said Chee-Aloy. It would have the capacity to generate 350 megawatts.

He added the province's environmental standards with respect to noise (OPA suggests the noise is similar to the sound of light rainfall) and the height of smoke stacks would be respected.

Councillor Jeff Laidlaw inquired how many people would be employed at the facility. Chee-Aloy replied it would likely employ less than 20 people, as the generator will not operate on a full-time basis. It is for peak conditions only, with production highest during summer and winter, he said.

Planning Director Stephen Kitchen inquired what happens if there were no community support for the project. Chee-Aloy advised that OPA could look into other options if this were the case, including upgrades to transmission lines.

Energy conservation is also part of OPA's strategy to meet Northern York Region's electricity demand, explained Chee-Aloy. It aims to conserve 27 megawatts by 2010. It has already procured 17 megawatts to date, and another 11 megawatts are scheduled to be procured by 2011.

Other measures to cope with the rising electricity demand include upgrades to the Armitage transformer station, located in Newmarket, as well as the new Hydro One transformer station, which is currently being built in King.

The Hydro One transformer station, located near Holland Junction, is expected to be operational by the summer of 2009.

Andrea Loeppky of CCKT addressed council on the pending generating facility.

Loeppky said that by housing the Hydro One transformer station, King already pulled its weight for Northern York's power supply. "We've done our part for the greater good," she said. "We don't want, and we don't need a generator in King."

Loeppky also pointed out the proposed generating facility would not directly benefit King residents, because none of the plant's hydro lines will service them directly.

"The generator may be beneficial to the northeast of us," said Loeppky, but she saw no benefit to King. "We receive 85 per cent of hydro from facilities in Kleinburg.

Loeppky recalled Mayor Margaret Black's commitment to keep King green. "Mayor Black with her campaign theme of 'my King will always be green' needs to stand against this power plant," she declared.

Loeppky said CCKT found King as a location for an "unsightly, polluting, gasfired power generator" to be contrary to its economic development goals and commitment to green initiatives.

The plant would seriously harm property values and the quality of life for residents in the surrounding area, she added.

CCKT believes there are better ways than those proposed by the OPA to supply additional hydro to northeastern York and South Simcoe regions, including funding for more conservation initiatives and combined heat-and-power in multi-residential and commercial developments.