NEW CASH CROP Turbines from the Canadian Hydro Developers project in Melanchton are now fully operational with each of the 45 windmills in phase one now supplying power to the Ontario hydro grid. Photo/TOM CLARIDGE Energy Minister Donna Cansfield, who has a residence with her husband near Priceville, praised the Melancthon wind farms as not only part of Ontario's solution to "reliable, clean and safe energy," but as consisting of majestic towers. The turbines are a part of the provincial government's commitment to replacing Ontario's coalfired generators with "green" ones. The minister said the province aims at having 2,700 megawatts of renewable energy in service by the year 2010. This presumes a combination of wind, water, solar and biomass sources to reduce or end the reliance on fossil fuels as a source of electricity.

According to a background report, the Melancthon/ Amaranth area has a wind potential to support as many as 160, 1.5 MW generators. Phase 1 has 45, and Phase 2 has 88, for a total proposed now of 133 leaving a potential for an additional 27 to reach the full local potential of 240 MW.

Photo/WES KELLER 'MAJESTIC' TURBINE DISPLAY: Canadian Hydro Developers vice-president John Keating presents a photo of some Melancthon Phase 1 turbines to Ontario Energy Minister Donna Cansfield at the facility's opening ceremony in the township offices last Thursday. Jim Wilson, who has five turbines on his property, provided the photo. Although both Ms. Cansfield and Melancthon Mayor Garry Matthews used the word "majestic" to describe the installations, Canadian Hydro Developer Chief Executive Officer John Keating acknowledged in an interview that some opposition continues. "We've found a new concern." Mr. Keating said CHD, responding to new opposition to the red night lights on the towers, is working toward replacing the existing ones with some that are designed to glow more upwards, and to flash more slowly "rather than having a burst (of light)." He said only about half of the towers, those on the perimeters of clusters, have the lights.

The Amaranth planner had earlier questioned why the towers are placed in clusters rather than in a straight line, as they are on the Prairies. Both Mr. Keating and project manager Geoff Carnegie said wind patterns differ here. Whereas western winds tend to blow constantly in one direction, those in Melancthon/Amaranth are less predictable.

The officials said the turbines are strategically placed to take advantage of the winds, and to avoid turbulence, as well as to be an acceptable distance from residences. A photo taken by Jim Wilson and presented last Thursday

shows turbines in a triangular pattern along two fences. At the earlier Amaranth public zoning hearing, Mr. Carnegie said that to move the location of one turbine 200 feet would require moving several, as the placement is engineered.

Minister Cansfield praised more than the view of the turbines. "Melancthon and the other 17 projects (the government has) supported are paying large dividends to the economy, and they will continue to pay in terms of cleaner air and sustainable power."

Jim Wilson, whose property is the site for five of the generators, described them optimistically as "a boost to Melancthon Township" and to what he described as "depressed" agriculture industry locally.