North Glengarry Township’s council meeting March 10 was dominated by a group of frustrated and angry residents trying to reverse the township’s approval of a battery energy storage system (BESS) on Skye Road near Dunvegan.
Although the rezoning bylaw has already been passed, the group left the often raucous meeting determined to persuade council to repeal the bylaw permitting the construction of the BESS.
Opponents warned of catastrophic effects on their farmland and their cattle should the facility catch fire. Others expressed concerns for their own health and the value of their properties with the proximity of the BESS and questioned if their home insurance might be affected.
Richard Hudon, one of the approximately 30 people crammed into the council chambers, asked about the fallout from a potential “conflagration.” Raymond Leduc said, “You guys should reconsider this. Use your conscience, for the love of God.” He continued, “We’re the farmers and if something happens, our cows might be all gone and then the land, we don’t know.”
But Mayor Jamie MacDonald assured, “There is no risk.”
Discussion was at times interrupted by outbursts from the crowd, prompting the mayor to caution that the meeting would end if decorum was disrespected.
In September 2023, as required by the Ministry of Natural Resources, a public meeting regarding the BESS was held at the Dunvegan Recreation Hall. There were few attendees. Those who did attend were councillors from North Glengarry and members of the Compass Energy Consulting team.
Opponents said they were not made aware of the meeting. Raymond Leduc lives one kilometre from the planned BESS site and was told the meeting in Dunvegan was cancelled. “So something went wrong there,” he said.
At the September 25, 2023 council meeting, Compass Energy made a presentation to council. At that session, councillors inquired specifics from James Morotto, the Associate Director of Development with Compass. And, as Deputy Mayor Carma Williams stated to the crowd filling the council chambers, councillors asked many of the same questions in 2023 as residents are now asking.
Fire Chief Matthew Roy was questioned on his department’s ability to respond to a fire at the facility. As the technology for battery storage facilities continues to advance, so do the standards of practice for the National Fire Protection Association, with strategies to moderate hazards associated with energy storage and emergency response. One advancement is aspirating smoke detector technology which draws air from multiple points in the building, and, if needed, can trigger the extinguishing system while notifying the monitored emergency control network. Additionally, being in an open area, should there be an emergency at the location, firefighters will be able to access the area easier and create a barricade from other buildings.
Compass would be held financially responsible for any loss or damages, he said.
Laurie Maus, who has a Master’s degree in science and biology and lives in Dunvegan, offered to review the environmental impact reports presented by Compass.
“I hear a lot of talk about experts in here. I am an expert.” Maus continued, “There was no environmental assessment, there was nothing.”
Background
Last year, North Glengarry council unanimously supported a proposal by Toronto-based Compass Energy Consulting to set up the units on land between Highway 417 and Skye Road. Plans for the 17-megawatt BESS began in 2023 when a public meeting was held in Dunvegan. The energy storage system will encompass 11 container-like units using five of the 15 acres of agriculture land rezoned to accommodate the facility. The BESS will be fenced for security and the surrounding land will continue to be farmed.
Compass says the BESS project will provide power to meet growing regional demand in the area, lease revenues for local landowners, additional property taxes for the township, economic activity and create construction jobs.
When Ontario’s electricity grid needs more power (like on the hottest days of the year), the Independent Electricity System Operator turns to on-demand resources, like energy storage, to support provincial electricity needs. Decentralized energy storage infrastructure can prevent emergency grid events such as rolling blackouts, and help defer more capital-intensive system upgrades that directly impact rate-payers. Ideally, BESS sites are located near electricity substations or 3-phase power lines to improve overall efficiencies.
Construction would start in 2026. In 2047, the facility would be decommissioned and the land fully remediated.
The concerns:
Opponents argue, “Lithium-ion battery fires are highly toxic and nearly impossible to extinguish. There is potential contamination of groundwater and destruction of farmland. Exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) and chemical leaks could impact human and livestock health. BESS facilities are connected to the power grid and could be vulnerable to cyberattacks. Many residents were not informed before this decision was made.”
