171-foot tower proposed for Estuary
John French
Chief Staff Writer
A race to tap the wind appears to be under way in Squamish.
Squamish's potential as a place where the wind can be converted to electricity has Ledcor Power Inc. (LPI) asking Land and Water B.C. (LWBC) for a licence of occupation so it can put a temporary wind measurement tower up in a grassy area of the Squamish Estuary.
The application is advertised in this week's Chief.
Derek Hutchinson, a project development manager with Ledcor, said his company wants to put a 50-metre (171-foot) tower in the Squamish estuary to collect data on the Squamish winds for a year or two.
The proposed tower is to be supported by guy wires that will be anchored into the moist ground of the Estuary.
The District of Squamish is currently working with Sea Breeze Power Corporation on an alternative energy pilot project that is completely separate from the Ledcor initiative. Research and analysis is being done to determine whether or not the community supports the idea of wind towers being added to the local landscape.
Economic Development Officer Lee Malleau is uncomfortable with Ledcor's decision to move toward testing the wind in Squamish.
"The concern I have is that this is going to have negative impacts on the legitimate project we are working on," Malleau told The Chief on Tuesday (May 11). "There is no way we will support it [the Ledcor project]."
Malleau wants nothing to do with the Ledcor initiative.
"People are going to be confused between the two projects," she said. "We've met with Ledcor and discouraged them to proceed with their project and we encouraged them to be a part of our project."
Hutchinson said he started working on the Ledcor project in November of last year, before the District of Squamish announced its pilot project. He added that his company was approached by the Squamish Nation. According to Hutchinson, Ledcor was told by the Squamish Nation that Squamish had potential as a place where the wind can be tapped to generate electricity.
"We're here because of the Squamish Nation," Hutchinson said.
Randall Lewis of the Squamish Nation said he hasn't seen enough of the project details to make an informed decision and to comment on the project.
The project is a first for Ledcor as the company has no previous experience in wind energy.
Hutchinson said if the tower is built in the estuary, the base of the tower and the guy wires will be under water for between one and three hours a day. His research to this point indicated that the tower will not require a light. He said that if the tower is painted red and white it will meet the visibility requirements of federal regulators.
The LWBC consultation process Ledcor is currently working under requires the company to share its plans with a number of agencies. Hutchinson said all the groups or government bodies that had to be informed were contacted.
"I'm happy to provide information," Hutchinson said. "I don't want to get the community upset."
Anyone who wishes to pose questions about the project to the proponent is invited to e-mail Hutchinson at [email protected].
The deadline to submit feedback to LWBC is June 18.
