Editor,
I would like to thank Louis Bernard for his letter, published in the April 15, 2021, edition of The Meaford Independent, in relation to our proposed pumped hydro storage facility at Meaford. Feedback on our proposed project from community members is critical as it will lead to developing a better project for everyone.
TC Energy has continued to advance the development of the project by incorporating input from community engagement and findings from early-stage engineering and environmental studies. As a result, the project has evolved considerably, and we believe the current proposed design addresses many of the environmental and safety concerns raised.
To further help guide the design of the proposed pumped storage project, TC Energy continues to undertake feasibility studies, which began in the area in the fall of 2020. These environmental studies are critical to helping us understand the environment where the project is proposed and their results will eventually inform the environmental impact assessment processes, should the project progress.
Ensuring that we protect Georgian Bay and the environment surrounding Meaford is our priority as we develop this project and these studies are one of the ways that hold us accountable to that commitment.
With respect to the economic impact the project will have on the Meaford area, and in particular the number of jobs to be created, I would encourage Louis and your readers to review a Regional Economic Study conducted by ERM Consultants Canada Ltd., which is available on our project website. We are focused on making this project an economic success story for Meaford and surrounding communities and are determined to pursue all options to maximize opportunities for local labour, local suppliers and local businesses. In addition to jobs created through development and construction, the facility would employ 20 full-time positions on-site and it is reasonable to project that these workers could reside in the Municipality of Meaford.
Patrick Dillon, Business Manager and Secretary Treasurer of the 150,000-member Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario, has called the project “a fantastic opportunity to help diversify the region’s construction workforce by attracting young people, women, returning veterans and reservists, and Indigenous communities, to take part in the building of the project.”
We believe that pumped storage is the most economic and environmentally responsible solution to meeting Ontario’s growing energy demands. TC Energy will continue to engage throughout the entire lifecycle of this project; we appreciate input and want the project to reflect the concerns and priorities of the community.
As always, we encourage your readers to visit our website for more information at www.tcenergy.com/pumpedstorage and direct any questions to our project team via email at energy_storage@tcenergy.com or by telephone at 1-844-551-0055.
John Mikkelsen, P.Eng., M.A.Sc.
Director, Power Business Development
TC Energy
