MEMO / NOTE DE SERVICE
To / Destinataire
From / Expéditeur
Subject / Objet
Mayor and Members of Council
Michael Mizzi
Acting General Manager
Planning and Growth Management
Department
Carlsbad Springs Solar Project,
5281 Piperville Road
File/N° de fichier:
Date: 24 August 2015
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information to the Mayor and Members of
Council on the Carlsbad Springs Solar Project. The City has been working with Invenergy LLC
since April 2015 regarding the Carlsbad Springs Solar Project located at 5281 Piperville Road.
Invenergy qualified to participate in the Independent Electricity System Operator’s (IESO)
Large Renewable Procurement (LRP) in 2015 and is preparing to submit a proposal in
September 2015 for the Carlsbad Springs Solar Project. The proposal is to develop an
approximately 25 megawatt (MW) non-rooftop solar project.
The City was made aware of several requirements by the IESO that would award the project
rated criteria points, such as a Municipal Council Support Resolution and a Municipal
Agreement. The purpose of the Municipal Council Support Resolution is for the City to provide
support for a large renewable project and/or proposed connection line. The purpose of the
Municipal Agreement is to confirm a binding agreement between the City and the registered
proponent pertaining to the large renewable project. The IESO encourages municipalities to
explore the possibility of entering into an agreement with developers to clarify expectations,
responsibilities and costs related to renewable energy projects.
The proposed project and Municipal Agreement contemplate the establishment of a Municipal
Community Fund, which will be funded by an annual contribution from the proponent based on
the per megawatt of installed capacity. The current estimate of the annual contribution is
$12,500. City staff and the proponent will benchmark the estimate of $500 per megawatt
against projects with similar site considerations across the Province to verify the current
estimate.
Disbursements from the fund must be approved by Council. In addition, the contribution
amount will be adjusted on a dollar-for-dollar basis by that portion of any property taxes that is
attributable to an increase in tax rates applicable to increases in the assessment values.
Invenergy requested that the Municipal Council Support Resolution and Municipal Agreement
not proceed to Council until after they held their public meeting as part of the early community
engagement requirements of the LRP on August 6, 2015.
The proposal submission deadline, as outlined by the IESO, is September 1, 2015 and,
therefore, both the resolution and motion to authorize the agreement must proceed to the
August 26, 2015 Council meeting as there is only one meeting scheduled before the upcoming
2
deadline. The motions for which waiver of the rules is being requested are attached, as well as
the preliminary layout of the site.
The Independent Electricity System Operator provides through the Large Renewable
Procurement Process the prescribed language for the motion of support and
acknowledgement of agreement. The motion provides that it is only for the purposes of
obtaining rating points in the procurement process. There are no legal impediments to the
adoption of the two motions that are being presented to Council.
For further questions on the Carlsbad Springs Solar Project, please contact Adam Brown,
Acting Manager, Development Review, Rural Services at Adam.Brown@ottawa.ca, extension
28352.
Original signed by:
Michael Mizzi
Attach.
Motion, Carlsbad Springs Solar Project, Municipal Council Support Resolution
Motion, Carlsbad Springs Solar Project, Municipal Agreement
Preliminary Site Layout