Dear Editor,
I feel compelled to challenge Dave MacDougall’s distorted view of the TC Energy Pumped Storage (OPS) proposal’s benefits and Save Georgian Bay.
D.M: “As a renewable energy storage facility it will help to stabilize Ontario’s Energy Grid as we transition to electric vehicles.”
FALSE. The OPS is not storage for renewable energy. Rather, (as the government press release notes), it would be electrical energy storage for TC Energy’s 48.4%-owned Bruce Power nuclear plant.
D.M: “It will reduce the need for gas-powered peak electricity use generators. (a CO2 reduction).”
Other alternative energy storage technologies of the same capacity will achieve more CO2 reduction with far less cost and greater efficiency (e.g., approx. 67% for OPS and approx. 90% for battery storage).
D.M: “It will provide local jobs and business investment both during construction and long into the future. (a tax revenue enhancement)”
The major electrical equipment will be built offshore (e.g., Siemens, etc.). Of the claimed 1,700 jobs during construction, most of the workers will be skilled and non-local. They will not be working at the same time or for the full construction period. During operation, there will be only 32 permanent operations jobs.
The CANCEA report was commissioned by TC Energy (TCE). This TCE-funded research report is carefully crafted to influence its audience, relying on a computer model that makes the outcomes easily manipulated.
The report grossly overstates job creation. After converting the claimed “people-years” to actual jobs, this project will result in a total of 740 jobs in Ontario and 180 in Grey-Bruce-Simcoe. This project will cost Ontario taxpayers far more than it will return, while creating few meaningful jobs.
CANCEA’s analysis neglects to fully explore more economically viable alternatives and fails to address the environmental risks tied to open-loop pumped storage.
D.M: “It is a respectful use of Indigenous lands.”
FALSE. Blasting and boring holes into a Niagara escarpment and beneath the lakebed on a contaminated, active military base in order to remove at least 15 million tonnes of material is not a “respectful use” of anyone’s lands. Where will that potentially contaminated material go and what contaminants could be released during excavation and tunnel boring? That’s never been explained by TCE.
The SON are not actual partners in this TCE project yet and from reliable sources, it seems the SON are divided about the project.
D.M: “It is a safe, proven investment for our energy storage needs that will provide long term returns for 100+ years.”
FALSE. It’s an expensive, technological dinosaur and not entirely safe. This open-loop pumped storage project is an unsolicited proposal that has not been submitted to the IESO LT RFP process for evaluation and competition. The Taum Sauk Pumped Storage Plant breached, resulting in 600 acres flooded.
TC Energy is a pipeline company with many documented environmental and safety violations, and without any pumped storage experience. The only “investment with long-term returns” will be for TC Energy through a guaranteed 50-year cost-plus contract.
D.M: “It is NOT based on short-lived battery technology that is toxic when damaged and that has unproven life expectancy beyond 10 years.”
Current lithium-ion batteries have a life expectancy of at least 20 years and can be recycled. New battery technologies such as lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP), flow, solid-state, lithium-sulfur, sodium-ion, iron-air, zinc-based and graphene batteries promise lower cost and toxicity, greater safety, and longer life expectancy.
D.M: “Most of the project infrastructure is underground, or under water. It will not be seen or heard and will not interfere with existing uses of our beautiful bay. (A positive environmental impact).”
Construction will be hugely disruptive to Nottawasaga Bay and the Escarpment. Most of the 375-acre reservoir will be above ground (an approx. 20 meter high perimeter berm). TC Energy’s claims of “not seen and heard” and “no environmental impact” are currently unsupported and unproven. Moving 23 billion litres of water twice a day, generating heat, sucking in aquatic life and risk of toxic contamination will all interfere with existing uses of our beautiful bay.
D.M: “The partner (TC Energy) is offering incentives to offset disruptions during construction and long term. They project $450 million in social value contributions from the Project. I’ve heard $1,000,000/year in lieu of taxes!”
The claims of $450 million in social benefits is based on the inflated job figures in the CANCEA report. $1,000,000/year in lieu of taxes, compared to a $7+ billion project (and the billions of dollars of TCE and associates’ profits) is a paltry sum and Meaford Council gave away negotiating power when they voted for the project while getting only promises in return.
D.M: “Considering all the above, I find it very disappointing that a small, loud, group (Save Georgian Bay) is doing all they can to stop the project.”
Save Georgian Bay (SGB) is not a small group. They have thousands of supporters that live inland, all around Georgian Bay and in Meaford. Seasonal or part-time supporters are full-time taxpayers and shop locally. Five Georgian Bay municipalities, several citizen groups and the Ontario Green Party support SGB in opposition to this proposed pumped storage project.
Contrary to a popular concept, there will not be an impact assessment (IA) directly performed by government scientists. The IA research will be performed by a company hired and directed by TC Energy, and then the report approved by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC). As the project will be on Federal land, there won’t be an Ontario IA. The TCE IA will be paid for by taxpayers via the $285 billion handout from the Ford government.
Given reports that an IAAC official complimented TCE on their “ground game in Meaford” and the IA will be proponent driven, why believe in this IA’s impartiality?
SGB fully supports other responsible energy storage projects that will boost local and Indigenous economies but with the IESO rejecting it twice, this proposed Meaford open-loop pumped storage project is simply politically driven and wrong.
Regards,
Mike McTaggart, Meaford
