KCI-WOCAWSON ENERGY PROJECT PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION:
Date: Thursday, September 5, 2024
Time: 4:00–7:00 PM
Venue: Penobsquis Fire Dept, 12231, NB-114, Penobsquis, NB E4G 2Y1
Welcome to the official webpage of the proposed Kci-Wocawson Energy Project!
This website was created to provide project information to community members, First Nations of New Brunswick, government, and other stakeholders. Natural Forces, on behalf of the Proponent, is committed to meeting with stakeholders throughout the project’s lifetime. Information sessions and other community engagement activities are planned for this project – the website will be updated as information becomes available.
About The Project
The proposed Kci-Wocawson Energy Project (the “Project”) is being developed and will be owned in partnership by Tobique First Nation (Neqotkuk) and Natural Forces Developments. The proposed Project is located in Kings County, New Brunswick, approximately 20 kilometers east of the Town of Sussex.
The proposed Project consists of up to 12 wind turbine generators capable of producing a total of approximately 50 MW of renewable energy. The proposed turbines have a tower height and blade length of approximately 130 m and 70 m, respectively. The proposed Project will consist of wind turbines, a substation, a collection system, access roads, and a transmission line.
The proposed Project is adjacent to two projects developed by Natural Forces; the operational Wocawson Energy Project, in partnership with Neqotkuk First Nation, and the Neweg Energy Project, currently under construction and developed in partnership with the Mi’gmaq United Investment Network. You can visit their websites for more information about the projects.
The project is located on private and Crown lands adjacent to Mitton Road (also known as Armstrong Road), which leads to a network of forestry roads throughout the project site. This location was chosen due to elevation, optimal windspeeds, distance from residences, and minimal environmental constraints.
Project Update
As we develop this project, we are committed to providing the public with frequent updates and the results of our Environmental Impact Assessment in this section.
2018-2024 – Environmental studies conducted for nearby Wocawson Energy Project and Neweg Energy Project.
January 2024 – Environmental studies for the Kci-Wocawson Energy Project began.
February 21, 2024 – Potential development areas for the project were presented at a public information session for the Neweg Energy Project at the Penobsquis Fire Hall.
Spring/Summer 2024 – Environmental studies continuing on site.
June 2024 – A meteorological tower and a LiDAR (remote sensing device) were installed on-site to collect wind resource data.
August 30, 2024 – The Environmental Impact Assessment will be registered with the province.
September 5, 2024 – A public information session will be held at the Penobsquis Fire Dept, 12231, NB-114, Penobsquis, NB E4G 2Y1 from 4:00 – 7:00 pm.
Who is proposing this project?
This project is being proposed in partnership between Tobique First Nation(Neqotkuk) and Natural Forces.
Tobique First Nation(Neqotkuk), whose population is approximately 2500, is located on the north side of the Tobique River and it is the largest Maliseet community. Neqotkuk First Nation is located north of Perth Andover where the Tobique River and St. John River meet. Neqotkuk First Nation is led by Chief Ross Perley and twelve council members. The lifeline of the Maliseet
Nation is the waters that flow down the Saint John River, and the tributaries that feed it and the lands adjacent. Tobique First Nation(Neqotkuk) knows that generating energy is a necessity but within its fundamental principles: renewable, minimal environmental damage, proper regulation, First Nation ownership and economic viability.
Natural Forces Natural Forces is an independent power producer that develops, constructs, owns, and operates renewable energy projects. Natural Forces was established in 2001 and has its head office in Halifax, NS, as well as regional offices in Chetwynd, British Columbia; Quispamsis, New Brunswick, France, and Ireland. Collectively, Natural Forces has approximately 300 MW of renewable energy projects in operation across Canada, with several ongoing projects at various stages of completion in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Labrador, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Ireland, and France.
The senior management team at Natural Forces has over 70 years of combined renewable energy experience encompassing all project life cycle activities in a range of international locations including Canada, Ireland, Poland, the UK, and Australia. Natural Forces is an integrated developer and operator of renewable energy assets. The in-house team undertakes all activities from initial site selection, development, financing, construction, operations, and asset management. Our vision is to develop, construct, operate, and own clean renewable energy projects across Canada in partnership with local and Indigenous communities.
Why Here?
When developing a wind project, it is crucial to identify the most suitable location and community to host it. To do so, there are four main factors to consider during the site finding phase of development:
- Wind resource
- Distance to existing electrical and civil infrastructure
- Environmental sensitivity
- Socio-economic concerns
Wind resource:
To measure the wind resource, a temporary meteorological mast, or ‘met mast’, and a LiDAR (remote sensing device) have been installed on the project site. The met mast is equipped to measure the wind speed, wind direction, temperature, and relative humidity. Historical data in the area indicates the location has a favourable wind resource.
Distance to existing electrical and civil infrastructure:
The project is located between Route 114 and Portage Vale where forestry activities are ongoing. As such, we intend to make use of the existing forestry roads to access the project site. The Project site is in close proximity to existing NB Power lines to the north, near Highway 1.
Environmental sensitivity:
The project is sited outside of any known environmental sensitive areas. Field surveys for the Environmental Impact Assessment began in January 2024 and will further assess the sensitivity of the specific project.
Socio-economic concerns:
The proposed project is located on private and Crown lands in the Kings Rural District. The site has previously been disturbed through forestry activities and access roads will make use of existing roads where possible. Photomontages will be created to demonstrate the potential impact of the project on the landscape in the region. The Project site is located over a kilometer from all year-round dwellings.
Project Benefits:
Community benefits that the project will bring include electricity to power approximately 12,000 New Brunswick homes annually. It will also produce emission-free electricity, increasing energy security and displacing generation from fossil fuels, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additional project benefits include:
- Provide annual tax revenue to the local and provincial governments over the life of the Project.
- Create local employment and contracting opportunities during the development, construction, operation, and decommissioning phases of the Project.
- Increase own-source revenue to Neqotkuk First Nation through Project ownership.
- Increase revenue to local businesses due to economic spinoff from Project activities.
- Assist the province with its energy strategy of developing 1400 MW of new wind power, outlined in Powering our Economy and the World with Clean Energy – Our Path Forward to 2035.
Public and Stakeholder Consultation
Newsletter
Natural Forces has engaged with, and continues to engage with, stakeholders through a number of avenues, including newsletters. Links to newsletters circulated will be linked below.
Information Session
Natural Forces will hold information sessions to provide an opportunity for the community to engage with Natural Forces staff. All of the information presented will be uploaded here.
What is the process?
1
Development
(Current Stage)
- Assess the wind resource
- Survey for environmentally sensitive features
- Optimize turbine location to capture the wind efficiently and minimize impact on sensitive features
- Begin consultation with regulators and the public
- Conduct and present the Environmental Impact Assessment for environmental approval
- Apply for road, work, and construction permits
2
Construction
- Clear trees for roads and turbine pads
- Build access roads and pad areas
- Pour the turbine foundation
- Assemble the wind turbine
- Connect to NB Power’s electrical grid
3
Operation
- Commission the wind turbines to start producing power
- Conduct post-construction wildlife monitoring
- Monitor remotely for real time alerts when additional maintenance is needed
- Operate for approximately 30 years
4
Decommission or Retrofit
- Assess wind turbine after approximately 30 years
- Decommission wind turbines in 12 months
- Reclaim the site to its former state OR
- Receive approvals and permits to retrofit the turbine to continue harnessing energy
Environmental Impact Assessment
The Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation-Clean Environment Act, states that any electrical power generating facilities such as wind project, exceeding 3 MW of installed capacity must undergo an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). As the proposed Kci- Wocawson Energy Project will produce approximately 50 MW of electricity it is subject to an EIA.
To fully assess the potential environmental impacts of the project, comprehensive studies including the following were conducted:
- Wind Resource Assessment
- Bird and Bat Surveys
- Wetlands and Watercourses Surveys
- Vegetation and Habitat Surveys
- Noise and Visual Assessments
- Electromagnetic Interference Assessments
- Archaeological Assessments
Results from these studies are being compiled in an EIA document presented to the Province and will be registered on August 30, 2024.
When the EIA is registered, it will be available for viewing at the Sussex Regional Library (46 Magnolia Ave, Sussex, NB), at the Petitcodiac Post Office (46 Main St, Petitcodiac, NB), at the Saint John DELG Regional Office (8 Castle Street, Saint John, NB), and at the DELG, Environmental Impact Assessment Branch (20 McGloin Street, Fredericton, NB). It will also be available on the Department of Environment and Local Government’s website: http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/elg/environment/content/environmental_impactassessment/registrations.html.
For more information on the EIA process, please visit the Department of Environment and Local Governments EIA webpage by clicking here.
Photo Gallery
Pictures will be added here as the project progresses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some people have concerns about the impact of wind farms on house prices, health, and other issues. As a result, studies have been conducted regarding these issues and are available on Government and Industry association websites. Additional facts about Wind Energy can be found on the CanWEA Wind Facts page (FAQs).
Since wind turbines are large mechanical equipment, they can be expected to produce noise. However, as wind turbine technology has evolved, the sound emitted by wind turbines has decreased, In current designs the mechanical noise is almost obsolete, resulting in only the interaction of the air and the turbine parts producing noise. This noise decreases as the radial distance from the turbine increases. To relate this, the compressor of a refrigerator produces 40-45 dB of noise. According to the Government of New Scotia, a wind energy project would have a noise level of between 35-45 dB at 350 meters away (Check out the Energy Nova Scotia Wind Page for more information). Federal and provincial jurisdictions establish minimum distances from turbines to occupied dwellings to minimize this noise.
A study done by Health Canada in 2014 investigated the health effects of wind turbine noise. This study found that wind turbine noise was not associated with self-reported slip, illness or stress levels. The summary of these results can be reviewed on the Health Canada Environmental and Workplace Health page.
Shadow flicker is created when the sun is at a certain angle behind the turbine. When the sun shines through the blades, the movement of the blades can cause a shadow that flickers on and off as the blades rotate onto the land. New Brunswick has identified sector specific guidelines for wind turbines that requires wind energy projects not to exceed 30 minutes/ day or 30 hours/ year of shadow flicker at any receptor and cannot exceed 40 dB[A] of sound at any receptor. From initial assessments, the proposed Kci-Wocawson Energy Project is not expected to exceed these thresholds due to the distance from dwellings. The noise threshold of 40 dB[A] is approximately the same loudness as a running computer, refrigerator, or running stream.
The proposed turbines are set back over a kilometre from all permanent dwellings.
The turbines being considered for this project have a maximum height of approximately 200m to blade tip. Wind turbines have gotten larger over the past few years which allows them to produce more power and reduces the amount of wind turbines needed to meet energy demands. Though these larger turbines are more efficient and reduce the ground disturbance by reducing the amount of turbines needed, they are taller and increase can be seen from further areas surrounding the project. Photomontages will be completed where photos are taken of local areas and with software aid the turbine can be realistically imposed on the photo to provide a general idea of what the landscape will look like once the Project is built.
The project is proposed on both privately owned lands and Crown lands owned by the Province of New Brunswick. While the project is in operation, the land will still be owned by the private landowner or province. To own and operate the project, Natural Forces will obtain a wind power lease, or other necessary real property rights, over the land on which the turbines are located.
No land will be expropriated from landowners. Natural Forces has many operating windfarms on private lands in Nova Scotia. In these cases, the company has developed, over years, a trusted relationship with the landowners and in all instances, the land still remains in the ownership of the landowner and is leased for the duration of the project. No land has been leased from unwilling landowners. In regards to the Wocawson Energy Project, the majority of the project is located on crown lands except for the proposed transmission line. For this line, New Brunswick Power has initiated notifications and discussions with landowners where the line may cross.
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the emissions produced within the New Brunswick Power energy sector, using a very conservative estimate the Wocawson Energy Project is predicted to offset the carbon that may be emitted during its cradle to grave lifecycle within the first year of operation. This allows at least 29 years of operation to offset emissions produced in the New Brunswick electricity sector from fossil fuel emitting sources.
It is estimated that the Kci-Wocawson Energy Project will provide upward of 130 construction jobs. These positions will be held by local-subcontractors hired under Natural Forces who will act as General Contractor during the construction phase of the project.
Natural Forces is aware of that the snowmobile club is one of the biggest land users in the surrounding area. Natural Forces will continue to work closely with the Snowmobile Club, as we have with the Wocawson and Neweg Energy Projects to ensure impacts to snowmobile trails are minimized.
Thus far, barn owls have not been observed during field surveys. All species that are observed over all survey seasons will be compiled in the registered Environmental Impact Assessment document which will be made available in print near the project site and electronically on the website for review and comment.
The transmission line may cross wetlands and watercourses. These aquatic features will be delineated and monitored by qualified professionals and further analysis of these features will occur for careful micro-siting of Project components. Micro-siting will help avoid these features and ensure impact is minimized to the extent possible.
