The deadline for community and stakeholder comments to the Department of National Defence on TC Energy's proposed pumped water energy storage facility on DND land in Meaford is this Friday (July 31st).
TC Energy is proposing to develop the facility at the Canadian Armed Forces 4th Canadian Division Training Centre in Meaford.
You can comment until Friday (July 31st) by emailing ThirdPartyAccess@forces.gc.ca
TC Energy says the facility would provide 1,000 megawatts of clean energy by drawing water from Georgian Bay, pumping that water from a low-lying reservoir when demand for electricity is low to a higher-elevation reservoir.
TC Energy says the water would be released into turbines when demand for electricity is high.
TC Energy expects to create about 20 full-time jobs to operate the facility, and hundreds temporarily during the construction period of the project.
TC Energy notes on its website, it's in the very early stages of the project and notes there are numerous levels of assessment and approvals required.
A group of citizens who are against the project called Save Georgian Bay is concerned the project will create noise pollution, kill aquatic life, pollute the environment during the construction phase, disrupt the clarity of the water (turbidity), which they worry will affect tourism and also affect the feeding ability of shoreline birds.
They're also concerned about high tension power lines will be put in from Meaford to Essa Township near Barrie.
Meaford Council resolved to submit comments to the DND and TC Energy which highlighted issues it identified with the project, and requested the DND confirm those issues would be addressed before approving the project.
Some issues Meaford staff highlighted in a report include concern about water turbidity, impact on fisheries, light, noise and traffic especially during construction and the proximity of the municipal water intake (6.6 kilometres south of the proposed outfall).
The Department of National Defence says on its website “DND is analyzing the proposed project to better understand any potential impacts on military operations and training. We are also looking at issues such as security, Indigenous and treaty rights, real property management, the environment, potential public policy benefits, and species at risk.”
It goes on to note, “These inquiries are preliminary, and separate analysis on these issues would be led by other federal departments and agencies should TC Energy’s proposal proceed past this early stage in the process.”