NORTH BAY – Some of Ontario’s most pristine locations are being sacrificed for a source of power that is again failing Ontarians on a day it is needed the most, Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli said today.
“This morning, when demand topped 22,000 megawatts in Ontario on the hottest day of the year, wind power was contributing just 77 of those megawatts,” said Fedeli.
Peak demand according to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) is expected to exceed 24,000 megawatts later today.
“Given the naturally beautiful locations Dalton McGuinty is disturbing around Ontario with the installation of giant wind turbines, and the strife pitting neighbour against neighbour that has resulted, there’s one big question that needs an answer,” Fedeli said.
“Is wind power really worth all this?”
The province this week has been forced to ramp up coal, gas and hydro generation in order to meet the increased demand created by the hot, humid weather, added Fedeli.
Fedeli further pointed out that wind producers are guaranteed in 20-year contracts that they’ll be paid twice what it actually costs to produce electricity through the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) program.
“Wind power will continue to increase our hydro bills for years to come,” said Fedeli, who noted that some of Ontario’s greenest, most picturesque landscape and local ecosystems are being risked for unreliable power generation.
“Disturbing beautiful sites like Ostrander Point in Prince Edward County or McLean’s Mountain on Manitoulin Island in order to build massive wind turbines that don’t produce power when Ontarians need it is simply absurd.