What follows is part of our continuing effort to try and keep the record straight by providing answers to the many questions we continue to be asked.
General
Planning/Approvals
Water Levels
Fish Habitat
Construction
Recreation
Safety
General
What kind of buildings or structures will this power station require?
Our Bala Falls generating station would only require the construction of a small low-profile powerhouse containing electrical generating, transformer and monitoring equipment, and, an underground conduit to direct water into and out of the turbine generator.
Because of the proximity to a Hydro One distribution line, our Bala facility will not require a number of new overhead transmission poles or a new easement to connect our facility with the Province’s electricity system. The electricity produced by our facility will be delivered to Hydro One’s distribution system by underground cable.
Also, there is nothing in our plans for our Bala Falls generating station that requires building a new dam, or, altering the North or South dams in a way that would affect seasonal water levels in Bala Bay or the Moon River.
What expertise does Swift River Energy have in building and running power stations?
Swift River Energy Limited is led by a team of individuals with decades of experience building and operating a wide array of facilities in complex and challenging environments. These individuals’ accomplishments include: having led the design and construction of more than 12 small power project and district energy systems across Ontario; supervising the successful expansion of one of Toronto’s premier fitness clubs; acting as senior in-house counsel to one of Canada’s major banks; and, conceiving and managing all aspects of the development of some of Toronto’s most recognized commercial buildings (Yonge-Eglinton Centre, Atrium on Bay and One Financial Place). This team has variously gained a reputation for being able to build complex projects, in challenging environments, on time and on budget.
As the project developer, we recognized very early in the development process, the important role experienced local talent could play in making sure our Bala Falls generating station operated as intended. To this end, we have entered into an agreement with Bracebridge Generation Ltd. to employ that company's expertise for the day-to-day operations, monitoring and maintenance of our facility once it is built and ready to come into service.
Bracebridge Generation Ltd. is a subsidiary company of Lakeland Holding Ltd. whose shareholders include the municipalities of Bracebridge, Burk's Falls, Huntsville, Magnetawan and Sundridge. Currently, Bracebridge Generation owns and/or operates four hydroelectric generating stations: Bracebridge Falls, Wilson's Falls, High Falls, and, Burks Falls which have a combined electricity production capacity of 3.8 MW.
What is the cost to taxpayers to building this power station?
Building this power station will not cost taxpayers one cent. Swift River Energy Limited is a privately owned company that will be responsible for incurring all the costs associated with building this small hydroelectric power station
Like the price of any manufactured product, it includes the cost of its production and the cost of the equipment and facilities required to make it. In keeping with generally accepted accounting principles, these costs are recovered over the anticipated life of that equipment.
How much money will Swift River Energy Limited be paid for the electricity it produces at Bala Falls?
Waterpower is the lowest cost renewable power. Generally, OPG hydro projects produce power for less than the spot price of electricity, which is in the five to seven cent range. To encourage renewable forms of energy production, all waterpower projects in Ontario are offered the same twenty-year contract at 11.08 cents per kWh. While this may seem higher than the cost paid by the consumer, this must be balanced against publicly owned power that received large subsidies and resulted in a $30 billion debt electricity customers will be paying for generations to come. By contrast, the standard offer contracts power companies like Swift River Energy would enter into with the Ontario Power Authority do not increase the Province’s or taxpayer’s exposure to debt.
It is interesting to note that power contracts with private power operators twenty years ago were considered outrageously expensive at that time. Within a decade, power prices had increased well beyond those contracted prices and have now become sources of relatively low cost energy for the Province.
What benefits will the local community realize from this project?
Our Bala Falls Small Hydro Project offers a number of short and long-term benefits to the local community. First, building this power station will require about 50 person years of labour to complete. We expect that a large part of the project’s $22 million capital costs will be spent locally employing local trades, retaining local equipment suppliers, and, drawing on local services such as restaurants, motels and gas stations. Over the long term, we have every confidence this modern, 21st century small hydro project can become a significant attraction that draws new visitors to Bala.
Isn’t this project going to destroy the character of the Bala’s dams?
No. Our plan to build a powerhouse, in the area where a power plant once stood, will not have any effect on Bala’s existing dams. Nothing will be done to MNR’s North and South Dams.
Will this power station require unsightly above ground transmission lines in order to connect to Hydro One’s electricity distribution network?
Because of the proximity of our proposed facility to an existing Hydro One distribution line along District Road 169 (approximately 40m) and a powerhouse design that will contain some of the required electrical equipment, delivering our power into the Province’s electricity grid is expected to require very little in the way of new or additional above ground equipment. In fact, we expect to deliver our facility’s electricity to Hydro One’s network by underground cable.
Based on engineering studies now underway and further discussions with Hydro One, we expect to be able to present the particulars of our proposed electrical interconnection with the local distribution system to the community for comment at the next open house (summer ’08).
Will this power station be noisy?
No. The particular design of the turbine generator and its housing will place this equipment well below ground, in the “basement” of an enclosed concrete powerhouse, thereby eliminating any chance that the turbine will produce “fugitive” noise emissions. While other moving equipment, like ventilating fans, can be a source of low frequency noise (vibration), we are confident we can readily meet the Ministry of Environment’s noise control guidelines to ensure our facility does not disturb the surrounding ambience.
What material can you refer me to in order to better understand the context and constraints within which this project is being developed?
Below is a list of some reports and websites that may provide some useful background to the small run-of-the-river power project we are proposing near Bala’s North Dam.
Background Material & Sources
| Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources |
| Ontario Ministry of the Environment |
| Ontario Power Authority |
| Ontario Waterpower Association |
Why is Swift River Energy proposing to build this power station on the island adjacent to the south end of Bala’s North Dam?
The site of our proposed project was defined by the terms and conditions set out in the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) Request for Proposals to which Swift River Energy Limited responded as part of MNR’s competitive bid process.
It’s worth pointing out that this Crown land proposed for our power station was the site of a hydroelectric power station, built by Bala Light and Power, from 1924 until it was demolished in 1972. (see Figure 1 below).
Figure 1: Bala Falls North Dam and Ontario Hydro Powerhouse, circa 1950
Engineering and site assessment studies as well as the input received from the public and stakeholders to date, will all contribute to delineating the particular location and layout for our Bala Falls powerhouse. We intend to present drawing and artists’ renderings to the community for comment at the open house we expect to hold in summer ’08.
Why isn’t Swift River Energy considering developing this power station at Bala’s South Dam?
Swift River Energy Limited responded to a Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) competitive Request for Proposals, the terms and conditions of which offered 0.7ha of Crown land adjacent to Bala’s North Dam for development. This initiative by MNR arose out of a province-wide effort by the Government of Ontario to release Crown lands that offer the potential to expand the Province’s stock of clean, renewable hydroelectric generating capacity (see www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/renewable/ for details). As the MNR or the Crown do not hold sufficient lands around the South Dam, MNR did not consider the South Dam a viable candidate site for the purposes of its province-wide initiative.
Nevertheless, in response to questions raised about the South Dam site, Swift River Energy investigated the feasibility of such an option and has concluded that it would not be technically or economically viable to pursue development of a power station at the South Dam.
Has Bala been singled out for development?
No. However, the fact that Bala’s North Dam was
the site of a power station for the better part of last
century certainly was a factor. According to information
available on the Ministry of Natural Resources
website, Bala is one of 17 sites released by the
Government of Ontario in its efforts to develop new,
clean, ‘green’, renewable sources of power generation
to help fulfil our Province’s commitment to shut down
our old, polluting, coal-fired power stations.
What are the project’s next steps; will I have an opportunity to participate further in the process?
Swift River’s project development team will continue working through the Fall and Winter months to complete the studies and assessments required to present a definitive plan that addresses:
- the facilities design and location
- the proposed construction schedule
- the facility’s expected operating characteristics (with the appropriate references/ comparisons to the Muskoka River Water Management Plan, and, other applicable regulations and guidelines).
Once this material is reasonably complete, we intend to hold an open house (summer ’08) where the community will be able to comment on our studies and proposals.
With respect to ensuring interested parties are aware of the date and location of our summer ’08 public open house, Swift River Energy will make every effort to alert stakeholders using all means available to us, e.g., contact information you’ve provided us with, the use of general “owner/occupant” mailings, the assistance of community/ratepayer groups, the local chamber of commerce, and, local newspaper notices.
How can I be kept informed of project developments and upcoming public meetings?
We encourage you to access our newly established website at www.balafalls.ca. This site will be updated regularly with reports and announcements, as appropriate. For those with email addresses, we urge you to provide us with your coordinates (mail/email addresses) so we can keep you apprised of project developments.
If you would prefer that our contact with you be via a mailing address, please send your desired contact information, by fax to 905.374.1157 to the attention of Trion Clarke, or, by mail to:
Trion Clarke
Senior Environmental Scientist
Hatch Energy
P.O. Box 1001
4342 Queen Street
Niagara Falls, Ontario
L2E 6W1
What implications would your Bala generating station have for the character and flow patterns at the old Mill Stream, Burgess Falls site?
We do not foresee that our project will have any substantial impacts on the seasonal flow patterns at the existing small Burgess Falls hydro facility at the old Mill Stream site.
Swift River Energy is required to demonstrate, subject to Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) review and approval, that our proposed power station operating plan will be in strict compliance with the limits set out in The Muskoka River Water Management Plan that protect the flow patterns at the old Mill Stream site.
Will the power station’s operations affect water levels above or below Bala’s North and South Dams?
Our Bala Falls generating station will only be able to draw from the seasonally available flows while respecting the strict water level limits set out in the Muskoka River Water Management Plan.
By operating within these constraints and employing sophisticated continuous monitoring and control equipment, e.g., refined management of routine flow as compared to the current stop-log control, our facility is expected to improve water level control and moderate some of the fluctuations that have been experienced immediately upstream and downstream of Bala’s dams in recent years.
Data from our engineering studies confirmed these predictions and were presented at several public meetings earlier this fall.
Will the water required to run the power station effectively dry up Bala’s North and South waterfall?
No. The typical summer flow through Bala’s North
Dam will be maintained in order to support the
age-old practice people have enjoyed making use
of the area below Bala’s North Dam.
During the summer months (May through September),
the water required to operate the proposed power
station will be drawn largely from the flows that
traditionally pass through Bala’s South Dam. While
the flows at the South Dam will be reduced, the
character of this waterfall will be substantially
preserved, as it must in order to preserve identified
aquatic habitats below it.
Will Swift River Energy run this new power station without regard to the impacts on the water levels upstream and downstream of Bala’s three dams?
No. The terms of the Lease Agreement Swift River
Energy would be issued will clearly spell out our
responsibilities to ensure lake levels above and
below Bala’s North and South dams are maintained
within the strict limits set out in the Muskoka River
Water Management Plan.
In addition to meeting these water level requirements,
SREL will be required to ensure power station
operations at Burgess Fall’s is not compromised.
SREL will also have to ensure that sufficient flows
are maintained at Bala’s North and South dams to
ensure their character, their traditional recreational
uses, and the fish habitats below them are preserved.
Swift River Energy would be held accountable if it
were found to be in violation of any of these operating
requirements.
Swift River Energy is confident that with our
local operating “partner”, Bracebridge Hydro, with
its century-old experience, using modern remote
controlled equipment, can meet all these requirements
while being able to generate electricity at this site.
Will this project have any impacts on fish habitats in the areas surrounding Bala’s North and South Dams?
The design and operation of our proposed Bala Falls run-of-the-river power station will require specific approvals under the federal Fisheries Act. Accordingly, our team of biologists are undertaking field studies and are in close consultation with Ministry of Natural Resource’s field biologists to identify habitat features immediately above and below the North Dam that may require protection.
We are confident that by incorporating the latest advances in run-of-the-river station design, construction and operating practices, our small run-of-the-river generating station will avoid any significant long-term impacts to local fish habitat.
Will the water passing through your power station deplete oxygen levels in the water to the point that it will destroy fish habitat?
No. Diverting water through the station’s powerhouse does not deplete the water’s oxygen needed to support fish habitat. In fact, there is every likelihood the station’s tailrace will create conditions that foster additional desirable fish habitat.
Is blasting going to damage buildings, pose a hazard to residents and damage Bala’s tourism-dependent economy?
No. We are very aware of the Stone Church’s heritage
value. Blasting is expected to occur periodically
over a 10 to 12-month period and will be so localized
in nature as to pose no risk to nearby structures
such as the heritage Stone Church, or, to people. In
the unlikely event some damage does occur, SREL
has committed to correcting it.
Blasting will not seriously disrupt traffic flows. Traffic
interruptions will be occasional in nature and akin to the
amount of time one might be stopped at a traffic light.
Is it true that traffic through Bala will be seriously disrupted because of lengthy road closures?
No. Road closures are expected to occur for only
two one-night events (midnight to early morning
between December and May) to install and remove
a temporary two-lane bridge. To address concerns
about emergency vehicle access during these two
short periods, we will be working with the municipality
to develop a suitable contingency plan.
Construction will also require that District Road 169
be narrowed to a single lane for two two-week periods.
To minimize the disruption to the community, these two
road narrowings are scheduled to occur during Bala’s
less trafficked off-season, between December and May.
Will construction activities of the facility hurt the local economy that depends so heavily on summer tourist traffic?
No. We understand and take to heart the importance summer tourism plays with respect to Bala’s economy. We are expending considerable resources to ensure the most disruptive construction activities are minimized, and, where possible, limited to Bala’s off-season, i.e., that period between Bala’s Cranberry Festival and the May 24th Weekend. We are confident, given our experience developing large and complex projects in challenging environments that we can build this project on budget, and within a schedule that avoids interfering with Bala’s important tourist season.
On the positive side, this project entails a capital expenditure of about $13 million. While about $5 million of this investment will be in the purchase of turbine and electricity generating equipment, Swift River Energy is committed to spending much of the balance to employ local resources, wherever and however practicable. With a construction schedule of some 12 to 18 months, the purchase of local goods and services (trucking, concrete, lumber, fuel, food, room and board) and equipment rental, could provide an important boost to the local economy.
Will construction activities put Purks Place out of business and impede access to the public dock?
The public docks will not be restricted or compromised
in any way.
SREL has offered the owner of Purks Place financial
compensation recognizing that the business will be
closed, temporarily. Purks Place has also been offered
additional support to relocate his docks to a safer
location, post-construction.
Winter snowmobile traffic is important to Bala’s
economy. What effect will construction have on this
winter traffic?
We are well aware of the importance snowmobiling
plays in Bala’s winter economy. We are in active
discussions with the municipality to ensure a safe
route across the island is available through the
winter construction period.
Would this power station affect the current recreational uses and scenic character that this area in Bala is so known for?
Swift River Energy’s team of engineers are currently investigating ways in which this project – its design, construction and operation – will not only minimize undesirable impacts but will enhance some of the features for which this area is so well known.
While there may be some short-term inconveniences during particular periods when the power station is being built, considerable resources are being spent to develop a construction schedule that minimizes – and avoids, where possible – activities that might interfere with Bala’s summer traffic patterns.
With respect to access to the land surrounding the Bala’s North Dam, we are aware of the Town’s desire to improve safe access to it, to create an inviting sunset viewing opportunity, and, to use this scenic feature to improve Bala’s “in-town” attraction. Should specific components of our facility require fencing, we are confident this can be done in a manner that provides the needed public safety and security while preserving the site’s aesthetic character and traditional water access. Accordingly, Swift River Energy is committed to working with Town officials to help realize this vision and to design and locate our small low profile powerhouse in a manner that promotes safe use of the island and its surrounding landscape.
Drawings and artist renderings presented at community meetings this fall were generally well recieved. As a result, SREL has agreed, in the event we are successful, to form a Local Landscape Advisory Comittee to work out a detailed landscape plan for the site.
Will a power station on this site make access to the waterfalls below Bala’s North Dam impossible?
No. In response to community comments, SREL’s engineers confirmed that the powerhouse could be moved some 30 m further away from the edge of the North Dam’s waterfall, and that it could be tucked into a “valley” in an effort to preserve the site’s natural beauty and character. This new location will preserve access to the area around the waterfall.
Winter snowmobile traffic is important to Bala’s economy. What effect will construction have on this winter traffic?
We are well aware of the importance snowmobiling plays in Bala’s winter economy. We are in active discussions with the municipality to ensure a safe route across the island is available through the winter construction period.
Does this new site plan call for a park-like development on the island?
SREL presented an artists landscape rendering at a second Open House this past August to illustrate SREL’s commitment to restore the site. While there seemed to be some general appreciation for the concept, questions arose about details in the rendering. To address this, SREL will form a Local Landscape Advisory Committee to assist us in resolving the various interests people have in how this site might look, post-construction.
Will booms have to be installed above and below the North Dam?
Floating booms are safety devices that alert swimmers and boaters to the presence of potentially hazardous waters (be that a waterfall, a dam or a power station), and, are intended to prevent encroachment into those hazardous areas.
The Ministry of Natural Resources has already installed a boom above Bala’s North Dam as part of a province-wide program to improve public safety around all of its dams, As the design and detailed engineering for our Bala Falls proceeds this boom will likely be moved a short distance upstream from its present location. The exact location will be subject to the review and approval by Transport Canada under its responsibility for navigable waters.
Will the water leaving the power station be a danger to those who now swim and boat in the water immediately below the North Dam’s waterfall?
With the extended summers and more extreme heat we seem to be experiencing with greater frequency through the summer months across Southern Ontario, it’s no surprise that pressures for water-related recreation is on the increase. Unfortunately, according to the Royal Lifesaving Society, these water-based activities are also resulting in measurable increases in boating and non-boating injuries and drownings.
Significant flow rates for water leaving a power station is an unavoidable fact and must be respected for its inherent risks. We believe the 40 m distance between the power station’s outlet and the base of the North dam’s waterfall and employing industry “best practices” to control accidental encroachment into that area immediately below the power station’s outfall, will be sufficient to maintain public safety.
With respect to access to the land surrounding Bala’s North Dam, we are aware of the Town’s desire to improve safe access to it, to create an inviting sunset viewing opportunity, and, to use this scenic feature to improve Bala’s “in-town” attraction. Swift River Energy is committed to working with Town officials to help realize this vision.
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