Heather Wright/The Independent

They didn’t want wind projects in 2013 and they don’t want them now.

That’s the gist of a letter from three leaders of WAIT-PW to Plympton-Wyoming council.

In 2013, the Ontario government was pushing for more renewable energy. It had stripped municipalities of their right to refuse projects, sparking citizen movements across the province. 

In Plympton-Wyoming, Suncor was touting its Cedar Point project with 42 industrial turbines.

WAIT-PW formed to fight the plan, citing concerns for people’s health, wildlife and the landscape along Lake Huron. 

And they had the ear of municipal council. Plympton-Wyoming passed a planning bylaw which far exceeded the provincial standard for how close the turbines could be to homes. Suncor sued and WAIT-PW vowed to support the municipality.

In a letter to council, Elizabeth Bellavance, Doug Smith and Santo Giorno, speaking on behalf of the group, say residents donated about $93,000 to the town’s legal fight through WAIT-PW.

Bellavance, Smith and Giorno met with town staff in June to talk about the cash.

“Those funds were not used and were left in the town’s accounts with the understanding that the funds could be used in future legal challenges the town may face due to wind energy projects,” the letter states. “Given the current provincial plan to acquire significant additional electricity generating capacity; the WAIT-PW group recommended that the future use of the funds respect the wishes of the original donors, and that the funds be held in reserve for any legal issues that may arise from existing or proposed wind energy projects.”

Plympton-Wyoming CAO, Adam Sobanski, says the town has not been formally contacted by wind companies interested in setting up shop in the latest round of electricity contract bidding. 

And it seems the town’s reputation of being against the projects has stopped some potential suitors.

“I had one informal inquiry, but when they heard the town is an unwilling host, they never followed up.”

Recently, the Independent Electric System Operator awarded Sky Generation a five year contract to continue generating power in Ravenswood near Forest.

That 9.9 watt project began producing energy in 2008.

Sobanski has not heard whether any of the wind companies operating within Plympton-Wyoming may be looking for additional contracts.

There is one wind energy proposal that is in the works in Lambton. Venfor Inc. has been working on a proposal in Brooke-Alvinston and Adelaide Metcalfe.

Brooke-Alvinston residents and council have been outspoken about their opposition to the 17-turbine project.

Venfor is expected to hold a public meeting on the project in August. It needs a letter of support from the municipality to enter a bid to produce energy to the IESO by December. Councillors have said they’re not likely to give consent.