Decommissioning turbines costly, says citizen group
Decommissioning wind turbines will cost far more than wind energy developers predict, according an engineering report.
Rachel Thompson, a Kincardine resident representing fellow residents concerned about future wind developments within the municipality, made a presentation to Kincardine council last Wednesday. She brought with her a report by Energy Ventures Analysis (EVA), which was commissioned by a group of municipalities in
In its report, EVA concluded that it would cost roughly $100,000 to decommission one turbine.
Thompson presented a decommissioning report from Enbridge, which determined it would cost $27,000 to decommission one turbine from its developments.
“If Enbridge believes that they can decommission a wind turbine for $27,000, and EVA thinks it will cost closer to $100,000, we have a huge shortfall of $73,000 per turbine,” Thompson said. “At 115 turbines (currently within the municipality, and proposed) that’s just over $8 million, and that’s if Enbridge provides the $27,000 they think it will cost at the end of the lease. If Enbridge doesn’t, we the stakeholders of the Corporation of the
Ian MacRobbie, general manager of Enbridge Ontario Wind Power in Kincardine, said the company has an agreement with the municipality that it has every intention of sticking to.
“Enbridge does agree that we will carry out our decommissioning plan at the end of our contract,” he said. “Regardless of what it will cost, Enbridge will decommission (the wind turbines) to satisfy the
MacRobbie said that its contract with the municipality won’t be completed until 2028, so any cost assessment made at this point would only be an estimate. He noted that Enbridge’s decommissioning plan includes the removal of equipment, substations, wind turbines, access roads, foundations and distribution lines.