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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-09-25 Update Letter & Invite to 2nd Open House.pdf 4040 Bowness Road NW, Calgary, AB T3B 3R7 | Phone: 403.879.9768 | Fax: 403.879.9769 | info@solarkrafte.com September 25, 2017 Dear Stakeholder: Re: Cassils Solar Project – Project Update & Invite to 2nd Open House At Solar Krafte Utilities, we believe in keeping our neighbours and landowners informed about our projects. I'm contacting you to provide an update regarding the proposed Cassils Solar Project (the “Project”), located on approximately 160 acres of private land in the County of Newell, in the community of Cassils, south of Township Road 191 on Range Road 154, approximately 8 kilometres west of the City of Brooks, and to invite you to our second Open House for the Project to be held at the Cassils Community Centre on Tuesday, October 3, 2017: OPEN HOUSE October 3, 2017 (Tuesday) Cassils Community Centre 190073 Range Road 155, Newell County No.4, Brooks, AB 6 to 8 PM Outreach efforts for this Project began earlier this year, when we distributed a letter and held a public meeting in June. Since then we have been in the community listening to stakeholders, meeting with the County, applying for a municipal development permit, and preparing for the next steps of this Project. This letter is meant to update stakeholders on our efforts over the past months and provide some details about the Project. Project Description The proposed Cassils Solar Project is a 22.5 megawatt (MW) solar facility. The Project is estimated to offset 10,100 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, generating enough electricity to power more than 5,900 Alberta homes. The Project would employ ground-mounted, solar PV modules that convert sunlight into electrical energy without the use of heat transfer fluid or cooling water. To interconnect the electrical output of the project to the regional electrical distribution system, the facility proposes to be interconnected to a FortisAlberta 25-kilovolt distribution feeder at the south west corner of the Project site. The Project would consist of solar photovoltaic panels, panel racking systems, internal access roads, cabling, electrical inverters and other related accessory equipment. The Project will adhere to all setbacks and regulations (e.g., distance from roads and property lines) required by the County and therefore is not expected to have any adverse effects on adjacent land usage. 2 Project Update The Project has recently received the following: • Historical Resources Act clearance from Alberta Culture and Tourism which consisted of a review of potential effects to historic resources, such as archaeological resources, historic sites, and Aboriginal traditional use sites. • Noise impact assessment results, performed by FDI Acoustics, concluding that the cumulative daytime and nighttime cumulative sound levels of the Project were predicted to be 45.4 dBA and 38.1 dBA, respectively, which are within the regulated, permissible limits. • Solar glare analysis results, performed by Solas Energy Consulting, concluding that there would not be any hazard due to glare at any of the observation points evaluated, and that drivers on Highway 36, Highway 542, and any surrounding Township or Range Roads would not be adversely affected by the installation of the Project. • Municipal development permit application approval for the Project, by the County of Newell, effective October 10, 2017 (provided the 14-day statutory appeal period lapses and no appeal is filed). For additional information, and a current schedule for the Project, please see the enclosed newsletter, dated September 25, 2017. Your feedback remains very important to us. Should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at 403-879-9768 or Zachary Burgoyne at 1-888-409-2380. Further information is also available on our website at www.prairiesunlight.com/cassils. Sincerely, Jeff Thachuk CEO j.thachuk@solarkrafte.com 403-879-9768 Encl. Cassils Solar Project, Location Map Cassils Solar Project, Newsletter, Dated September 25, 2017 Alberta Utilities Commission Public Involvement in a Proposed Utility Development