Pictou County council is inviting representatives from the company that plans to build a pair of fast-acting natural gas-fueled power generating stations in the county.
IESO Nova Scotia is undergoing environmental assessments for two plants – one in Salt Springs, the other in Marshdale – that would replace coal-fired plants that are being retired by 2030 and supplement electricity produced by renewable sources such as solar and wind. The idea is to place the plants in areas that are along the current natural gas pipelines.
Residents in those communities have concerns about the effects of a new power plant would have, particularly because they require a great deal of water, which could deplete their own wells. Council passed a motion to invite representatives from IESO and the provincial Energy Department to come to council and explain their reasons for the proposed locations, and perhaps suggest locations that are further away from the affected communities. Warden Robert Parker says that ultimately it’s the province that decides whether or not to approve the power plant builds, but as representatives of the people that would be affected, they must at least make their concerns known.