Already staggering through insolvency, Skypower’s Byran wind energy project suffered yet another, perhaps fatal blow late in September when the Department of National Defence (DND) advised the company that it would not recommend or support the project as proposed.

Correction: Major-General J.Y. Blondin is Commander 1 Canadian Air Division,  Commander Canadian NORAD Region and Combined Forces Air Component Commander.  This story had mistakenly misidentified the Major-General’s role and responsibility.

The Times has learned that  Major-General J.Y. Blondin wrote to Helimax, a wind energy consultancy contracted by Skypower, on Sept. 29 informing the firm that the project, as constituted, was “incompatible” with the safe operation of 8 Wing operations and that industrial wind turbine installation would have an “unacceptable impact” on the safe transport of Canadian Forces personnel and cargo.

Blondin points to disruption of air traffic radar for military aircraft landing at CFB Trenton as the first of three primary concerns. Wind turbines can affect radar signals in a number of ways including shadowing, mirrortype reflections, clutter or signal scattering, according to 8 Wing’s website.

The Aerospace and Telecommunications Engineering Support Squadron (ATESS) of 8 Wing provides guidelines for wind developers considering locating projects in proximity to a Canadian Forces airbase. It recommends that developers or their agents consult with the DND if a project is being contemplated within a 100-kilometer radius of any DND air defence radar or within 60 kilometres of a DND air traffic control search radar, such as the one at Trenton. Further, DND does not permit turbines to be constructed within 10 kilometres of a major military airfield.

In his letter, Blondin further notes that, if allowed to proceed, the Byran project would restrict landing and takeoff at 8 Wing to just four per hour—an unacceptable constraint on its operations.

His third key objection relates to the impact the project would have at Mountain View airfield, which recently constructed a new gravel runway to simulate the “austere” conditions in places like Afghanistan.

Mountain View facilitates a variety of non-radar training including low flying, high-speed descent, night-vision goggle and short takeoff and landing. Blondin notes that Byran wind turbines, as planned, lie directly in the path of aircraft landing and taking off at Mountain View.

How was this overlooked? Why wasn’t ATESS consulted earlier?

Skypower didn’t respond directly to these questions, but spokesperson Aaron Peters offered that consulting with regulatory agencies is a big part of developing wind power projects.

“We are working with DND to ensure that the Byran Project is developed in an appropriate manner,” said Peters.

MPP Leona Dombrowsky said the concerns raised by Blondin are important ones and must be considered.

“The developer must try and mitigate these concerns,” Dombrowsky explained to the Times. “If not, then there is a mechanism they (DND) can use to appeal.”

Under provisions of the Green Energy Act the final arbiter of disputes related to wind energy development is the Ministry of Environment’s Environment Review Tribunal (ERT). Dombrowsky noted that projects that pre-existed the Green Energy Act will also be subject to appeal through the ERT.

It is clear however, that Major-General Blondin doesn’t see CFB Trenton as just another “regulatory agency.” In his letter to Helimax,  Blondin underlines the significance of 8 Wing’s navigational systems.

“The DND air traffic control radar at 8 Wing Trenton is essential to the safe transportation of Canadian Forces cargo and personnel in direct support of Canada’s Defence Commitments.”

The provincial government has laid low many of its own regulations and safeguards to expedite the development of wind energy in Ontario. But it may have a more difficult time sidestepping the Canadian military.