Why Our Community Is Concerned About Fitzroy BESS
OUR COMMUNITY OPPOSES THE FITZROY BESS PROJECT
As local residents we absolutely support protecting the environment, including the use of renewables. However, we do oppose the proposed BESS project in Fitzroy Harbour.
The local community is opposed to the proposed Fitzroy BESS project as evidenced by the petition presented to Ottawa City Council and signed to date by 629 people. Support of the community is a mandatory requirement of the IESO procurement process. We are respectfully asking Council to deny any request for the required Municipality Support Resolution (MSR) and/or zoning changes to the proposed project site to facilitate the approval and implementation of the project.
CRITICAL ISSUES
Location: This is a rural, agricultural residential area not an industrial site. The project poses significant health, safety and environmental risks to the surrounding area and community. The proposed site is too close to homes
Safety : Fire hazard is a known, documented and serious risk. While the possibility of an incident may be low, the potential impact of an incident would be Very High and could be catastrophic for the environment, the community and its residents.
There is no regulatory framework or incident response plan in place.
Environment : The environmental impact of the construction and operation of the site is an immediate concern, including noise and light pollution; the potential impact on flora and fauna; the contamination of the ground water as a result of the water cooling system, leakage, spill or a fire ; and the drainage of the site, including potentially contaminated water flowing into underlying aquifers across adjacent farmlands into the Mississippi Snye and ultimately the Ottawa River alongside the village and Fitzroy Provincial Park, its beach and campground. Phosphate release is known to be particularly hazardous
Size: 280-290 shipping-container sized units containing battery modules on 14 acres, one of the largest of its kind in Canada, which increases the risks.
Technology: Battery technology is still new and changing rapidly.
Provider: The provider does not have experience in BESS projects of this magnitude. It does not have the trust of the community.
Zoning By-Laws : Zoning by-laws are not sufficient to protect the community and environment.
No on-Site Physical Presence: The site will be monitored from Gatineau. There is no provision for on-site, trained personnel.
Too Many Unknowns: See Background Materials
BACKGROUND MATERIALS: CRITICAL ISSUES
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This is a proposed project by Evolugen, a subsidiary of Brookfield Renewable Power, Inc, a multinational investment company based in New York. The proposal is to build a storage facility (Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) next to the village of Fitzroy Harbour and close to the village of Galetta on 14 acres of an 80 acre lot at Homesteaders Road and Galetta Side Road. The Project will add up to 250 MW of capacity and ~1,000 MWh of energy storage. It would be interconnected to the electricity grid using a circuit to be located near the property and represents an initial capital investment of ~$650 million. The project is being awarded through the IESO, the Ontario energy regulator. The batteries would be stored in 290 shipping containers, cooled by water. The life span of the project is approximately 20 years. It is intended that the project will help stabilize the grid by taking off surplus energy when the demand is low, storing it, and feeding it back to the grid when the demand is high. The battery chemistry has not been confirmed.
The proposal must have community support, through a Municipal Support Resolution (MSR) from the City of Ottawa, in order to proceed.
The proposal was rejected by the City of Ottawa’s Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee (ARAC) on November 30, 2023, and did not receive an MSR. Nevertheless, the proposal did receive approval and a contract from IESO which Evolugen has signed. It is our understanding that Evolugen will now be required to provide an MSR from City Council within 18 months and 60 days of its signature before IESO can sign back the contract.
The project is one of the largest of its kind to date, increasing the potential safety and environmental risks. Evolugen has no experience with BESS projects of this magnitude.
SAFETY
There is a known risk of fire and explosion, in particular due to thermal runaway. The document link below provides a significant amount of background to these risks.
A Review of BESS Failure Incidents
Prepared by Shirley Dolan and Janice Johnston (a community-based review by concerned residents of West Carleton) https://alliancetoprotectwestcarleton.ca/bess-failure-incidents
Thermal Runaway
(Reference: National Fire Protection Association Fact Sheet, 2024.
Thermal runaway is a term used for the rapid uncontrolled release of heat energy from a battery cell. It occurs when a battery creates more heat than it can effectively dissipate. Thermal runaway can result in a chain reaction that heats up neighbouring cells, and as it continues it can result in battery fire or explosion. Even after a fire there is still energy within the BESS presenting shock hazard which can re-ignite the fire hours or days later.
Reference; National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Fact Sheet 2024
Most batteries create toxic and flammable gases when they undergo thermal runaway.
Reference: Review of gas emissions from lithium-ion battery thermal runaway failure, Bugryniec, PJ et al, Journal of Energy Storage, February/March, 2024. ( 87 (2024) 111288.)
Other Factors Affecting Safety
Battery failure and accidents can also happen as a result of manufacturing defects, damage during transportation, site preparation, operation and disposal. Environmental factors that can lead to battery failure include seismic activity, rodent damage to wiring, extreme heat, and floods.
Fire management is not well understood. Local emergency services are not prepared. There is no regulatory framework or incident response plan in place. Fire personnel are not trained and do not have the equipment, technology or, at the local level, the authority to respond to an incident.
Reference; discussions with local and city fire personal
ENVIRONMENT
As set out in our covering sheet the potential risks of damage to the environment are high and the resulting impact on the surrounding lands, community and health of the residents is severe. The impact of the site itself on flora and fauna needs to be considered as well as the risk of contamination of the surrounding lands, ground water, the Mississippi Snye and the Ottawa River. Everyone in this area relies on ground water wells for survival: some are dug wells easily contaminated by runoff, some drilled. All are exposed.
REGULATION
There is a critical need for a regulatory framework for BESS projects. Unlike several States in the USA neither the Province of Ontario nor the City of Ottawa have put in place policies, laws or regulations to regulate these projects.
By way of example, a Battery Energy Storage System Law has been adopted in the state of New York to advance and protect the public health, safety, welfare and quality of life of villages, towns and cities by creating regulations for the installation and use of BESS facilities with the following objectives:
1. To provide a regulatory scheme for the designation of properties suitable for the location, construction and operation of BESS facilities;
2. To ensure compatible land uses in the vicinity of the areas affected by BESS facilities;
3. To mitigate the impacts of BESS facilities on environmental resources such as water, agricultural lands, forests, wildlife and other protected resources, and
4. To create synergy between BESS development and other stated goals of the community.
Link : Siting and Safety Best Practices for Battery Energy Storage Systems, Exter Associates, February 2020 which essentially sets out the standards incorporated into New York regulatory framework and which could usefully guide the City in formulating the needed standards and regulations for the development and operation of BESS facilities in Ottawa.
https://dnr.maryland.gov/pprp/Documents/PPAD-BESS-2022-01-Report.pdf
LOCATION
The site is too close to a populated area including the villages of Fitzroy Harbour and Galetta. There are about 600 homes and approximately 1600 residents in the vicinity of the proposed facility.
IMPACT ON PROPERTY VALUES COULD BE VERY SIGNIFICANT
A home generally represents a family’s biggest asset. The implementation of a high-risk facility will have a negative impact on that asset, particularly post any event.
IMPACT ON INSURANCE FOR THE HOMEOWNER/LANDOWNER
Proponent claimed to have general insurance. Do Fitzroy residents need additional home insurance? How would they challenge a multi-national in a catastrophic event?
PRESERVING THE RURAL CHARACTER OF THE FITZROY AREA
Many of us moved to the country to escape the city. This proposal would bring an industrial park to Fitzroy: noise and light pollution; potential ground water contamination; fire, explosion and spill risk. In addition, safety and environmental risks to local waterways, flora and fauna are all serious concerns.
LACK OF TRUST IN THE SUPPLIER
Supplier to date has done a very poor job of engaging the community. They chose to try and let their consultation meeting fly under the radar. They had few answers to questions and provided no follow-up. They have not implemented a BESS project of this size before.
.