Fight over hydro station not over, resident says

Kerri Barber, who organized a petition in dispute of the utility's decision to build a transformer station near her neighbourhood, says she is disappointed with the company's decision.

“I’m really disheartened because I think it’s a crock the way these supposed potential sites are selected,” she says.

The site in question, situated south of the United Furniture Warehouse on Innes Road, was chosen from among seven sites because it will have the least impact on the surrounding area, Hydro Ottawa’s Franz Kropp says in a letter to residents delivered after opposition to the station was reported in the Star.

Kropp, supervisor of station engineering at Hydro Ottawa, said the station would be required as the community grows.

“Due to the growth in the east end of the city it was identified that there is a projected capacity shortfall, meaning we won’t have the facilities to supply the total load in the coming years. So we’ve got to build in the ability to deliver more power to the east end.”

But after submitting a petition to have the utility reconsider its location and after receiving Hydro Ottawa’s response, Barber says she’s not ready to drop the issue.

“I’m certainly not happy. Am I satisfied? No,” she says.

In the letter, Kropp suggests that there may be a lack of clarity regarding the proposed location for the new substation.

“The station will not be visible from area homes,” he says, “as the site does not front on Innes Road. Rather, it is south of the United Furniture Warehouse, and adjacent to the existing Hydro One transmission corridor. The nearest residences are 300 meters away, and are separated from the proposed site by existing retail buildings and a major thoroughfare.”

He adds the facility will be designed to fit in with the character of the neighbourhood to make it as unobtrusive as possible.

But Barber says she doesn’t understand why Hydro Ottawa officials don’t realize the station will be an eyesore to neighbouring residents.

“I don’t understand how they can think that people won’t see it from Innes Road and Stonehenge,” she says. “It’s still going to be viewed by all the people.”

To date, Hydro Ottawa has received five letters, one in support and four opposed to the construction of the station. On top of that, Barber submitted a petition with about 120 signatures requesting the utility reconsider its decision.

Barber says she’s considering submitting a request to the Ministry of Environment (MOE) to have an individual environmental assessment done on the site. In the event she decides to move forward with that the MOE would consider her written objection along with Hydro Ottawa’s response. First she wants to consult with her neighbours, she says.

“I’m interested to hear what some of the other homeowners think,” she says. “But I’m more than a little bit disappointed to say the least.

“Do I think that this is over? Absolutely not.”