_____
From: Geri Ratcliff [mailto:geriratcliff@yahoo.ca]
Sent: September 23, 2011 3:36 PM
To: BoardSec
Subject: Board File No. EB-2011-0063
Ms. Kirsten Walli
Board Secretary
Ontario Energy Board
2300 Yonge St, 27
th Fl
P.O. Box 2319
Toronto, ON M4P 1E4
Dear Ms. Walli:
Re: Application by Grand Renewable Wind LP
For Leave to Construct Transmission Facilities
Board File No. EB-2011-0063
Please find attached Board Staff interrogatories for the above proceeding for distribution
to the applicant and all parties in this proceeding.
IN THE MATTER Of the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998,S.O. 1998,c 15,Sch, as amended(the "OEB Act");
AND IN THE MATTER of application by Grand Renewable Wind LP (the "Applicant") for an order under section 92 and subsection 96(2) of the OEB Act granting leave to construct and electrical transmission line and related facilities.
At this time I wish to point out a few concerns on this transmission facility.
I as many landowners of Haldimand County attended the open house given by Grand Renewable Wind LP (the "Applicant") on Sept.22/11. My husband and I spoke personally to the "transmission line" experts raising concern for the health and safety of my daughter re-the exact location of said transmission lines. They could and did not answer any of our questions. There is much speculation as to where exactly these lines are going. Our house sits very close to 20 road and already has hydro connections at the end of our driveway, if these lines are placed along here there is double efi's, which will undoubtedly affect my daughters well being and health. When the wind/solor units are not able to produce at night, will there not be a large power surge when it transfers back to "hydro one", if so this too will cause problems for my daughter's health and well being, as well as appliances etc. Is this type of surging what caused the big blackout before? I have found under the Health Canada Website many studies that have been done in relation to the effects of Hydro Power Corridors.
I am also dismayed at the response given by the applicant's lawyer.They remarked that no landowners have complained and there are no landowners that have intervenor status. There have been a number of comments posted on the OEB web site in regards to this proposed installation of over head 230k power lines. There are a number of us landowners that are indeed intervenors. It seems that they have paid little or no attention to any of these comments from us landowners.
Also, there seems to be no direct answers given in any of the applicant's responses as to how much this is going to cost us "the landowners" and how they are going to ensure our safety and others that travel along this corridor.
It is my understanding when Hydro One wants facilities built, their corridors are 53 to 61 meters wide to meet the "Safety and Security Standards" act. Why does Grand Renewable not have to abide by the same rules? It is to my understanding when Hydro One ran their lines they stayed away from roadways, which in my opinion does not run in the "right of way", or am wrong?
There may be the odd mono tower installed re: changes in roadways for public transportation, but we are looking at approx. 115 poles(92 feet high) and 3 times higher than the poles already existing on our roadway, directly in our ROW which is residential. Would this be allowed in a large city? I feel the OEB really needs to do it's homework and really think about the ramifications of allowing Grand Renewable to go ahead. They need to come up with another plan, and many have been suggested in previous letters written by landowners, or be completely taken away from the #20 road corridor.
I am still reading, and have not found adequate answers to the following questions:
1/. There is talk of a 800 meter trench being proposed under the Nelles Hamlet,,will it be crossing private property and if so will the applicant need to use large excavating equipment and rock blasting materials? If such equipment is needed who is responsible for damages caused to our homes?
2/. Don't they need a transformer or something to convert power to the 230,000 volt for the overhead lines?
3/. If transformers are needed for converting where are they going to be placed, I could not get an answer at the open house.
4/. Does the applicant not have to have other roadways,etc built from windturbines to the overhead lines for connection purposes? If so will they or will they not be buried, I have had two different answers.
As a landowner I feel they are too many grey areas and unanswered questions. Until there is further investigations, I feel they should be denied approval.
Geri Ratcliff and Lee Russell
geriratcliff@yahoo.ca
905 923 6466
Cc: The Applicant\par
Grand Renewable Wind LP
c/o Grand Renewable Wind GP Inc.
55 Standish Court
Mississauga ON L5R 4B2
Att Mr. JeongTack Lee
Email: leejt@samsung.com\cf0\ulnone\par
Council for the Applicant
Mr. George Vegh
McCarthy Tetrault LLP
66 Wellington Street West
Box 48, Suite 5300
Toronto ON M5K 1E6
Email: gvegh@mccarthy.ca\cf0\ulnone\par
And
Ms. Kristyn Annis
McCarthy Tetrault LLP
66 Wellington Street West
Box 48, Suite 5300
Toronto ON M5K 1E6
Email: kannis@mccarthy.ca\cf0\ulnone\par