DRYDEN — City officials in Dryden have more than one suitor who wants to build a solar plant within city limits.
Representatives from Alectra Energy Solutions made their pitch to Dryden city council at its Aug. 25 meeting to use a plot of land north of the city centre to build a proposed 15-megawatt project that would be connected to the province’s energy grid.
In response to a question by Coun. Catherine Kiewning at the meeting, Kevin Whyte, the government relations and development lead for Alectra, said it would be near, but on a different plot of land, to where another proposed solar and battery storage project by Atura Power might go. That company is also seeking council’s support for its proposed development.
Both companies are submitting their proposals to Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator as part of its current call for new power generation projects, citing a rising need for electricity.
Dryden mayor Jack Harrison told Newswatch the proposed facilities in front of council would make good use of the land — which is privately owned.
“It's actually a good location for a solar farm because it's not really a good place for development — we don't really need that area for expansion of housing per se,” he said, adding that other sites in town are better suited for expanding services, like sewer and water, into for that purpose.
“We've already got other areas we're focusing on.”
Whyte said the site would also be a good spot for what the company requires, adding that they have an option in place to lease the land.
“We could connect into the distribution lines that run up and down any residential street, the poles and wires there,” he said during the company presentation, adding that they would run new lines along Teal Road to a power substation about a kilometre away.
That, he said, “would allow us to utilize existing easements along Teal Road, and have minimal disruption for the community.”
Roger Nesbitt, Dryden’s chief administrative officer, said during the meeting that the proposed area is large enough to support more than one facility, should council want.
“I do believe that there's room for multiple projects if council deems it appropriate to support, through resolution, those projects,” he said.
Alectra Energy Solutions is the branch of the Alectra company that develops power facilities like solar and battery energy storage, as well as providing other products like electric vehicle charging systems, microgrids, and metering and other services, according to its presentation.
Harrison said Dryden hasn’t been actively marketing itself to solar and other energy developers, but is pleased the city is being noticed.
“I'm glad that they're involving the municipality in the projects and they're coming to council and looking for support,” he told Newswatch.
“We do need additional energy generation in this area.”
In his presentation, Whyte said, aside from a boost to city tax revenue that developing the land would bring, Alectra is also proposing to pay Dryden $2,000 per megawatt they’re awarded to generate per year. He also said they are looking to partner with Eagle Lake First Nation on the project.
The company said it is holding a community consultation session on Sept. 4 and will ask for a resolution from council supporting the project in principle on Sept. 8. Alectra officials said their bid is to be submitted to the IESO in October.
Whyte said, should all approvals happen, the contract to operate the solar farm would be for 20 years and he committed that the company would “own and operate these assets for the duration of their life span.”
“We’re not flippers,” he said.
The contract would also include provisions that the company would decommission the solar farm and return the site to its previous condition, should they not be able to negotiate a contract renewal with provincial authorities after the initial 20-year deal, Whyte said.
