MOUNTAIN LIFE - Blue Mountains | Winter 2020

18 CASE STUDY A similar pumped storage facility on the Great Lakes is in Ludington, Michigan. It generates a maximum of 1872 megawatts. It’s an open-loop system. And because it’s on one of the Great Lakes, it is probably the best example of the system TC Energy is proposing. TC Energy literature says of the Ludington project: “It is similar in functionality and, like our project, utilizes one of the Great Lakes as a reservoir,” and “We will integrate modern technology in the design and operation of the facility.” So how successful is the Ludington project? Well, it has certainly managed to create power. Running since 1973, the plant went through a major upgrade in 2015, replacing parts and renewing efficiency. The 27 million gallon upper reservoir has run its initial 50-year license and recently received another 50-year license to continue operations. But the fish kill created by the plant is significant. It’s claimed the plant killed 150 million fish yearly. The National Wildlife Federation first filed a complaint with the federal government in 1982, charging the plant with violating their operating license by killing large numbers of fish. A 12-year legal battle ensued between environmental groups as well as state and federal agencies against the co-owners of the power plant, Consumers Power Co. (now Consumers Energy) and Detroit Edison Co. The complex settlement led to the creation of the Great Lakes Fishery Trust, the installation of a seasonal two-kilometre-long net to reduce future losses of fish, compensation for past damage to fish, and payments for unavoidable future losses that will occur. Those nets can only be used during the warmer months of the year when there’s no ice on the Bay, so it’s claimed the plant continues to kill millions of fish per year. • • • On that cold blustery night in Meaford, TC Energy’s John Mikkelsen continued to espouse the benefits of this project. Saying this is a great climate change initiative, he also mentioned the added benefit that this project will save Ontario ratepayers $250 million a year (at the current population that’s $17 each per year). But the crowd’s simmering anger wasn’t quelled. Outside, Bruce Rodgers, one of the members of Save Our Georgian Bay, debated the project endlessly. An engineer that has worked in environmental consulting, he’s adamant this is bad for the town and the Bay itself. “I’ve worked in consulting in my 30-year career and most of it is involved with large industrial projects like this,” says Rodgers. “So I’m very familiar with the legislation and the technical requirements of such a project. I’m always on the other side of the coin, where I’m working for industry to work through this process. This is the first time I’ve been on the side of the concerned public. In my professional life, we’re trying to help industry do the right thing. This is a case where I’m seeing an industry doing something that makes no sense whatsoever from an environmental perspective. They fabricate a story around carbon emissions and, ‘isn’t this wonderful for the planet, aren’t they being good corporate citizens,’ but then their whole approach about it is not green at all. Reducing carbon emissions and killing a million fish is not green.” “They say it’s a 50-year project life, but nobody will ever remove that plant,” he continues. “This will be there forever. The pyramids have been there for thousands of years, and the Meaford pumped storage plant will be there for thousands of years, too. But it won’t be operating, because the technology will be obsolete.” Whether you’re for or against the project, the fact the info night brought out over 350 people is telling. It’s a contentious subject. If you want to learn more, TC Energy will be hosting community open houses on January 16 and January 23 at the Meaford & St. Vincent Community Centre. If you can’t make it, their side of the story can be found at tcenergy.com/pumpedstorage . For the other side of the coin check out savegeorgianbay.ca . –Colin Field The closest private property is a mere 700 metres from the proposed reservoir. COLIN FIELD