VILNA – Obton Solar gathered feedback and suggestions from members of the community during its open house on Nov. 23 about a proposed solar power project in the Vilna area.
Lakeland This Week spoke with several people on hand for the open house who had varying views on the project and its impact on the area.
One resident located close to the proposed location is concerned with how it will affect the residential property values close to the project, as well as concerns with the environmental and health impact to people living nearby.
Another resident said they are fine with the project, as long as Obton Solar does what it promises, which includes placing trees to ensure the solar project will not obstruct the view, and that they will not harm the environment.
Kyle Garner said he is okay with the project. “I’d rather have solar energy than gas, power, plants, coal, or any dirty technology,” he said.
Garner acknowledges that other residents may not have the same view as him, “But that’s okay,” adding concerns he heard from others are valid too. He simply believes solar energy will be beneficial to taxpayers in the long run, explaining that as solar panels typically do not require that much maintenance, it will help lower power bills for residents.
Dennis Hoberg said the project is also “a wonderful idea. I think there should be more.” Hoberg said that as electric consumption increases, there is a need for more “good, clean” production.
“We’ve got a lot of support, but we’ve also got a lot of concerns, which is understandable,” Mathias Johnsson, Obton Solar public consultant, said of the community feedback he had received at the event.
He said he understands that people have concerns with the location of the project, located alongside a major roadway leading into town. So, people would want to know what would happen in 50 years, for example. Is it going to be “left like the orphan wells situation?”
People also asked about the project’s effects on the local economy, the jobs it will create, and how it will ultimately affect Vilna’s power grid.
“I think a lot of people are concerned about the impact on their lives, and they want to know ‘what am I getting out of this'?” he said, adding some people do connect with the idea of having local back-up power, just in case something outside of the Village of Vilna’s control were to happen.
Some people are also concerned about the viewscape and are not fond of the idea of looking at solar panels. “And we say, what can we do about that? Can we mitigate it by building rows of trees, not just on our side of the properly line, but on your side as well? What can we do to help this?”
Ultimately, Jonsson said the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) needs to produce power for Albertans.
“So, what we’re looking for are ideas of how to do it in the best way possible.”
He added the open house was meant to gather feedback, suggestions, “and anything people have to say, we’re going to listen. We’re going to put everything together and bring it back to the developers and figure out how we can design this to work as best as possible with the land that it’s on, but also the land that surrounds it.”
Background
The proposed solar project will be located west of the Village of Vilna and north of Highway 28 on a privately owned greenfield site.
Obton estimates the solar power project will generate approximately 42-megawatt (MW) of power, which could power over 10,000 Canadian homes.
Assessment and studies of the project began in the third quarter of 2023 and will continue through to the end of the year.
Project application to the AUC will be submitted in the first quarter of 2024. If the approval process is successful, construction of the project is expected to begin in early 2025 and could be operational at the end of 2025.
