Trent Hills has given preliminary approval to a plan to build a new hydroelectric generating station in Hastings.
The proposal by Prodigy Power Inc. based in Hamilton needed a sign of municipal approval so that it could be considered by the province’s Independent Energy System Operator for a current round of funding to expand power generation.
Council held a special meeting on Tuesday to review the plan. Company representative Richard Kuiper joined by Zoom, sort of, the connection was spotty and fuzzy, much like our early efforts during COVID. Justin Kuiper is listed on LinkedIn as chief executive officer of the company.
Council agreed to give its blessing since there was no cost and the company owns the water rights and the land.
Planner Cameron Law said the company needed the approval so that it can respond to a request for proposals. Kuiper said the plan would be to rebuild the deteriorating concrete waterway on the south side of the Trent River just east of the bridge and install a turbine capable of generating two megawatts of power.
For comparison, the expanded Ranney Falls Generating Station can generate 20 megawatts. A megawatt can power about 1,000 homes, although that number is falling since our homes are using more power.
“The subject site was historically used for water power, primarily to drive various mills going as far back as the 1860s,” Law wrote in a report to council. “Masonry walls along the water are present from previous uses, and have fallen into a state of disrepair due to abandonment. The proposal will involve the construction of new walls along the river channel, among other work to improve safety.”
In November 2016 it gave similar approval to a proposal by South Power Corp. for the same site. That idea went nowhere when the province did not select the project.
Councillor Dennis Savery wanted to know what impact the project would have on pickerel that spawn in this spot.
Kuiper said he has never seen pickerel in that location, but promised that no work would be done without approval of Parks Canada and Fisheries Canada.
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