Wind farm proposal not treated fairly by council, says project manager

The P.E.I. government should appealthe decision by the Regional Municipality of Eastern Kings to reject the expansion of a wind farm, says the company managing the project.

The council rejected the permit for seven new turbines last month, citing concerns the environmental costs were greater than the environmental benefits.

Carl Brothers, the general manager of Frontier Power Systems, said the application was in line with all of the municipality's bylaws.

"The Regional Municipality of Eastern Kings did not treat my client, the P.E.I. Energy Corporation, fairly in this matter," said Brothers.

"The energy corporation went out of their way to meet all the requirements that the council set down."

He is hoping the province won't let it rest. He suggested that a ministerial order might be appropriate, or an appeal to the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission. Provincial Environment Minister Natalie Jameson approved the project in September.

The rejection puts all Islanders in a difficult position, said Brothers, because the province is committed to net zero energy production by 2030, and the only way to do that is with wind, solar and biomass projects.

Provincial officials say they still haven't decided what to do next.

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