By Alex McCuaig

Renewable energy

As one renewable energy hearing ends in Brooks, another set to open in Oyen

Dec 6, 2019 | 5:30 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – The Alberta Utilities Commission hearings on a Brooks solar project wrapped up this week but the commission won’t be going far as hearings on a wind farm open in Oyen next week as well as a consultation meeting on another project taking place in Medicine Hat on Tuesday.

The AUC hearings in Oyen will hear concerns starting Tuesday from area residents regarding the Lanfine 285 MW project while the Medicine Hat consultation meeting will feature the proposed Rattlesnake Ridge wind farm.

According to the AUC’s director of external relations, the commission’s role for renewable energy projects is to reflect the public interest and is not beholden to either government or industry stances on a given project.

And public hearings are part of that process, said Jim Law.

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“The reason for that is you want to make a sound decision. And to make a sound decision, you need to listen to what people have to say. You need to understand it and you need to review that and consider it when you arrive at a decision,” said Law.

He added that sole, unresolved issue from an impacted stakeholder can trigger a hearing process, though the size, scope and formality of that process is dependent on the number of objections to a project.

Law added that in some cases, financial assistance can be provided via regulatory rules to those who object to projects so they can hire legal counsel or experts at hearings.

And it’s important impacted residents and businesses have their say during these hearings which are held in front of up to three commission members who act as adjudicators, said Law.

“That’s the formal opportunity for landowners in particular to come before these three people who are viewing it and standing directly in front of them and present evidence as to why they either support or oppose the project,” said Law. “Or, perhaps, not oppose it completely but would like to see some conditions imposed on it.”

The Medicine Hat consultations on the Rattlesnake Ridge 118 MW project take place at the Medicine Hat Lodge starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.