Maritime Electric's generator plan approved by consultant

An independent consultant has approved Maritime Electric's plan to build a $68-million generator in Charlottetown.

The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission hired Knap Energy Services Inc.to check if there are any lower-cost options.

Maritime Electric's submission says the 50 megawatt, diesel-fired generator is needed to make sure P.E.I. has the energy it needs, especially since the utility has been struggling lately to import enough electricity from off-Island.

"It's importantto keep the process moving but not jump ahead and make a quick decision that's really going to lock us into a big cost.- Tony Reddin, EcoPEI energy project co-ordinator

IRAC asked the consultant to see if there were any possible sources Maritime Electric had missed, but the consultants agreed long-term contracts for more electricity aren't available in the region.

The consultants examinedMaritime Electric's 50-page proposal,and dozens of documents submitted byIslanders, government officials and groups questioning the plan.

KnapEnergy Servicesalso went over alternatives suggested in the numerous submissions critical of the plan, such as Maritime Electric launching a moreaggressive conservation strategy or using battery storage to improve the use of wind energy.

Take proposal to the public now: EcoPEI

But Knapsays Maritime Electric'sconservation targets are in line with the targets of other utilitiesin the region, and it agrees with the utility that battery technology is still too costly and inefficient to be a good solution.

Given the large number of submissions that were critical of the plan, the consultant advised Maritime Electric to consider holding public information sessions in advance of filing with the regulator in the future. That practice is already followed in Nova Scotia.

Maritime Electric held an open house in Charlottetownwith information boards and artist renderings July 8, two weeks after the generatorplans were filed with IRAC.

However, an environmental group lobbying against the proposal doesn't think the consultant's report went deep enough and wants a public meeting held to debate options.

Tony Reddin, the energy project co-ordinator for EcoPEI, thinks more should have been done to explore the options of battery storage for wind energy and potential electricity savings under a more aggressive conservation strategy.

"As far as hearings now, I think it is important to make this into a public discussion now and that that be part of the process," said Reddin.

"It's importantto keep the process moving but not jump ahead and make a quick decision that's really going to lock us into a big cost that takes awaythe other choices."

IRAC doesn't know whether a public hearing about the submission will take place.

That decision will be determined in the next few weeks after commission members weigh whether they have enough information to make a decision on the proposal.

If no hearing is required, then a decision on the generator request could happen as early as the end of October.