Amendment to Renewable Energy Approval (REA) No. 6457-9L6QLC for Grand Valley Wind Farms – Phase 3 Wind Project

On September 7, 2022, we amended Renewable Energy Approval No. 6457-9L6QLC. This amendment is a technical change to allow Grand Valley Wind Farms Phase 3 Inc., as general partner for and on behalf of Grand Valley 2 Limited Partnership(“Grand Valley”) to carry out acoustic noise emission testing on two wind turbines.

The only modification as part of this amendment is to temporarily revise the wind turbine control system software so that two selected wind turbines will operate under the 2.772 megawatt (MW) maximum power curve while noise emission testing is undertaken.

The emission testing will be carried out according to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61400-11 standard. Grand Valley will have 12 months to complete the testing and submit two Emission Acoustic Audits to the ministry to determine the acoustic effect of the changes on the two selected wind turbine generators.

The change in operating mode (from 2.483 MW to a maximum sound power level of 2.772 MW) of the two wind turbines will change the turbines’ source sound power level profiles for the duration of the testing. However, the impacts are expected to be nominal since the testing will only occur at one wind turbine (out of 16) at a time and, typical testing duration is only 1 to 2 days in length. The overall nameplate capacity (40 MW) of the wind facility will not change as a result of the proposed testing.

The ministry requested that Grand Valley complete this noise emission testing to support the acoustic assessment report submitted for another (separate) amendment application from Grand Valley to revise the maximum power capacity of all of the facility’s wind turbines.

No new environmental effects are expected beyond those that were previously identified, documented and consulted on through the Renewable Energy Approval process.

All other conditions in Grand Valley’s existing Renewable Energy Approval and amendments will continue to apply, and Grand Valley must ensure that all wind turbines continue to meet the ministry’s noise level limits while this testing is underway. At the completion of the testing, Grand Valley must submit two Emission Acoustic Audits to the ministry.

This Class 4 wind facility, known as the Grand Valley Wind Farms – Phase 3 Wind Project, is located within the Town of Grand Valley and Township of Amaranth, Dufferin County.

Third party hearing provisions

Any resident of Ontario may require a hearing by the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) within 15 days after the date this decision is loaded to the Environmental Registry by written notice served upon all of the following:

Appellate body

In response to COVID-19, all in-person service counters are closed until further notice. Where possible, please use email to contact the OLT:

Document Submission: OLT.Registrar@ontario.ca

General Inquiries: OLT.General.Inquiry@ontario.ca

Telephone Contact Hours: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday
Tel: (416) 212-6349 or toll free (866) 448-2248
TTY: (800) 855-1155 vi Bell relay

If submitting in hard copy, applications should be addressed to:

Ontario Land Tribunal
655 Bay Street, Suite 1500
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 1E5

Issuing authority

Miroslav Ubovic, P.Eng.
Director, Section 47.5, Environmental Protection Act
Environmental Permissions Branch
135 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 1
Toronto Ontario
M4V 1P5
Phone: (437) 216-7610
Toll Free Phone: (800) 461-6290
Email: enviropermissions@ontario.ca

Proponent

Grand Valley Wind Farms Phase 3 Inc., as general partner for and on behalf of Grand Valley 2 Limited Partnership
c/o Dave Hayles
2275 Upper Middle Road East
Unit 700
Oakville, Ontario L6H 0C3
Email: dave@gvwindfarms.com

An applicant for a hearing shall state in the notice requiring the hearing:

1. A description of how engaging in the renewable energy project in accordance with the renewable energy approval will cause either:
   • serious harm to human health
   • serious and irreversible harm to plant life, animal life or the natural environment
2. The portion of the renewable energy approval in respect of which the hearing is required
3. The relief sought.

Further information is provided on the OLT’s website at: https://olt.gov.on.ca/about-olt/