GUNN S HILL WIND FARM PROJECT DESCRIPTION REPORT FINAL VERSION 5.0. June 2013

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1 GUNN S HILL WIND FARM PROJECT DESCRIPTION REPORT VERSION 5.0 FINAL June 2013 Gunn s Hill Windfarm Inc. 226 ½ James Street North, Unit A Hamilton, Ontario L8R 2L3 Tel: Fax: info@prowind.ca

2 January 8, 2014 Reference: Notice of Project Design Change PLEASE NOTE: The Renewable Energy Approval (REA) Application for the Gunn s Hill wind Farm was submitted to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) in June, The tap line connecting the project substation to Woodstock Transformer Station will no longer be required, as connection will be at or near the substation itself. The tapline has been removed from Project mapping, but there are no changes to the Draft REA Reports provided to the MOE for review. Please note there are no new environmental effects due to removal of the tap line from the Project description.

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. PURPOSE REPORT VERSION GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION FACILITIES General Project Information Authorizations Required Federal Involvement PROJECT INFORMATION Project Components Project Activities Ownership of the Land Emissions to the Environment Negative Environmental Effects June 2013 i

4 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Contents... 2 Table 2 Report Versioning, Dates and Reason for Release... 3 Table 3 Siemens SWT Wind Turbine Specifications... 5 Table 4 Project Schedule Overview... 6 Table 5 Gunn s Hill Wind Gunn's Hill Farm Required Authorizations... 8 Table 6 Properties...25 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Project Location in Ontario... 7 Figure 2 A Typical Commercial Scale Wind Turbine...11 Figure 3 Drawing of the Rotor and Blades of a Wind Turbine...12 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A Project Layout Map June 2013 ii

5 1. PURPOSE The (The Project) will consist of up to ten (10) turbines from the Siemens SWT family. The turbines will have a maximum nameplate rating of 2.5 MW each and the project will have a maximum total installed nameplate capacity of up to 25 MW. Other basic components include step- up transformers located adjacent to the base of each turbine (step up voltage from approximately 0.69 kv to 27.6 kv), a 27.6 kv underground collector system, fibre optic data lines, a non- Transformer substation, operation and maintenance building and/or storage shed(if required), and turbine access roads. Temporary components during construction include laydown areas at the turbine locations, crane pads, temporary parking, concrete wash ponds and construction trailers The 27.6 kv underground collector lines will transport the electricity generated from each turbine to the substation located along Firehall Road, just east of buried cable to turbine 1. As this is a distribution connected project, a 27.6 kv tap line will be required to connect into the local distribution system. The overhead/underground tap lines will be owned and maintained by the proponent and installed on rented space on poles owned by Hydro One and Woodstock Hydro The has been prepared for the purpose of compliance with Ontario Regulation 359/09, which amends the Environmental Protection Act for the Renewable Energy Approvals under Part V.0.1 of the Act. Section 13 requires supporting documentation as outlined in Table 1 of O. Reg 359/09. Item 10 in Table 1 identifies a as a requirement for the Gunn s Hill Wind Farm Renewable Energy Approval (REA). June

6 TABLE 1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION REPORT CONTENTS Content 1. Any energy sources to be used to generate electricity at the renewable energy generation facility. 2. The facilities, equipment or technology that will be used to convert the renewable energy source or any other energy source to electricity. Location within Project Description Report Section Section If applicable, the class of the renewable energy generation facility. Section The activities that will be engaged in as part of the renewable energy project. Section The nameplate capacity of the renewable energy generation facility. Section The ownership of the land on which the project location is to be situated. 7. If the person proposing to engage in the project does not own the land on which the project location is to be situated, a description of the permissions that are required to access the land and whether they have been obtained. 8. Any negative environmental effects that may result from engaging in the project. 9. If the project is in respect of a Class 2 wind facility and it is determined that the project location is not on a property described in Column 1 of Table to section 19, a summary of the matters addressed in making the determination. 10. If the project is in respect of a Class 2 wind facility in respect of which section 20 applies and it is determined that the project location does not meet one of the descriptions set out in subsection 20 (2) or that the project location is not in an area described in subsection 20 (3), a summary of the matters addressed in making the determination. 11. An unbound, well marked, legible and reproducible map that is an appropriate size to fit on a 215 millimetre by 280 millimetre page, showing the project location and the land within 300 metres of the project location. Section 4.3 Section 4.3 Section 4.5 N/A N/A Appendix A Map 1 A preliminary version of this report was made available for Aboriginal, agency and public review prior to the initial open houses in each municipality. Preliminary versions of this report are available online for download at and were made available in hard copy at select locations identified on the website and in newspaper advertisements. A final version of this report is included in the REA submission to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and will be made available on the Project website (following confirmation of MOE s completeness check). June

7 2. REPORT VERSION Details for project design and development have been modified and enhanced since the initial release of the. The nature of this report as an overarching summary of project activities means that multiple versions will be released through the development of the project. This section presents the details of each released version. TABLE 2 REPORT VERSIONING, DATES AND REASON FOR RELEASE Report Version Report Date Reason for Release 1.0 January 14, 2010 Initial Open House in Norwich 2.0 August 31, 2011 Draft REA Review 3.0 August 14, 2012 Initial Open House in Woodstock 4.0 January 18, 2013 Draft REA Review - Municipal 4.1 February 12, 2013 Draft REA Review Aboriginal/Public 5.0 June 2013 Final Version Submitted to MOE June

8 3. G ENERAL R EQUIREMENTS FOR R ENEWABLE E NERGY G ENERATION F ACILITIES 3.1. GENERAL PROJECT INFORMATION Project Name This project is named Project Applicant Prowind Inc. (Prowind) is a Canadian wind energy developer based in Hamilton, Ontario. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Prowind GmbH, based in Osnabrück, Germany. Prowind s mandate is to create small- scale, renewable, zero- emission power generation. Prowind believes in distributed generation that has a minimum impact on the surrounding environment and landscape. The Applicant for this project is Gunn s Hill Windfarm Inc., a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) created to hold assets of the Project Location Terminology The geography of the Project will be discussed using three terms to describe the scope of landscape being discussed: PROJECT LOCATION - The Project Location is defined as per O. Reg. 359/09 as a part of land and all or part of any building or structure in, on or over which a person is engaging in or proposes to engage in the project and any air space in which a person is engaging in or proposes to engage in the project. As described therein, the Project Location boundary is the outer limit of where site preparation and construction activities will occur (i.e., Disturbance Areas described below) and where permanent infrastructure will be located, including the air space occupied by turbine blades. ZONE OF INVESTIGATION - This is the area surrounding the wind farm location that is required to be studied during field investigation. For the, this is 120 m from all new wind farm infrastructure (turbines including blade swept area, buried cables, substation, laydown area) and 50 m from any existing electrical corridor that is being upgraded for the purposes of the wind farm (existing overhead cable). PROJECT AREA - This is the study area that was has been used from the early stages to do preliminary surveys and inquiries. This includes the entirety of all participating properties and the overhead cable route Project Location Details The project is proposed on privately owned, agricultural land as well as municipal right- of- ways (electrical lines only) in the Township of Norwich and the City of Woodstock in Oxford County, Ontario. The Project Area (excluding the overhead cable) is bounded by Firehall Road to the north, Oxford Road 14 to the east, Gunn s Hill Road to the south and Oxford Road 59 to the west. The Project Area is approximately 455 ha. The Project Location (including turbine foundations, roads, cables, and temporary construction areas) is approximately 18 ha in area. June

9 The location of the Project was defined early in the planning process for the proposed wind energy facility, based on the availability of wind resources, approximate area required for the proposed project, and availability of existing infrastructure for connection to the electrical grid. Approximately 4 km of buried cables (27.6 kv) will run within road easements along a portion of Firehall Road and a portion of Middletown Line. Additionally, approximately 6.5 km of buried and overhead line (27.6 kv) will run along a short section of Firehall Rd and along Highway 59, Pattullo Ave, Athlone Ave, Juliana Dr, Cedar Creek Golf Club, Parkinson Ave, and South St to the Woodstock Transformer Station (TS). The final decision on the connection point will be made in conjunction with the Ontario Power Authority and Hydro One prior to construction. If the connection point changes from the location proposed at the Woodstock TS, it will be announced to all stakeholders and local landowners through the standard notification process and posted on the Proponent s website Description of Energy Source, Nameplate Capacity and Class of the Facility The will use wind turbines to harness kinetic energy from the wind and convert it to electricity by means of an electrical generator. The is a 25 MW project that is categorized as a Class 4 Facility that will employ the use of up to ten Siemens wind turbines from the SWT family. The turbines will have a maximum nameplate capacity of 2.5 MW or less for this project. The 2.5 MW model is a distinct model of the SWT family with its own nameplate designation, rated power, and broadband and octave band source sound power characteristics. The total maximum installed nameplate capacity of all turbines will not exceed 25 MW in order to match the Feed- In Tariff contract capacity. TABLE 3 SIEMENS SWT WIND TURBINE SPECIFICATIONS Operating Data General Manufacturer Siemens Model SWT Name plate capacity (MW) 2.5 MW Cut-in wind speed (m/s) 3-5 m/s ( km/hr) Cut-out speed (m/s) 25 m/s (90 km/hr) Frequency (Hz) 50 or 60 Hz Sound power (dba) dba Tonal audibility <2dB Rotor Blade length (m) 56.5 m Rotor diameter (m) 113 m Rotor swept area (m 2) 10,000 m 2 Rotational speed (rpm) rpm Tower Hub height (m) 99.5 m Maximum total turbine height (m) 156 m Specification June

10 In addition to wind turbine generators, the project will include access roads, a non- Transformer Substation, underground cabling to connect the turbines to the substation and a combination of low voltage underground and overhead cabling to connect the substation to the provincially controlled grid. There is also an option to construct a designated operations and maintenance building and/or storage shed for the life of the project. During the construction and decommissioning, there will be additional, temporary infrastructure including 2 concrete wash ponds, storage containers and dumpsters and construction office trailers. The Commercial Operation Date (COD) as defined by the Ontario Power Authority for this project is July 5, TABLE 4 PROJECT SCHEDULE OVERVIEW Milestone Public Meeting #1 Approximate Date Draft REA Reports to Public February 2013 Public Meeting #2 REA submission to MOE June 2013 Start of Construction January 2014 Commercial Operation (COD) July 5, 2014 Repowering/Decommissioning July 5, 2034 February 8, 2010 Township of Norwich October 10, 2012 City of Woodstock April 23, 2013 Township of Norwich April 24, 2013 City of Woodstock Figure 1 illustrates the project location within Ontario. A map of the project layout can be found in Appendix A. June

11 FIGURE 1 PROJECT LOCATION IN ONTARIO June

12 Contact Information Prowind Canada Inc., serves as the project consultant representing the Applicant. Contact details for information on this project are as follows: Prowind Canada Inc. 226 ½ James Street North Unit A Hamilton, Ontario L8R 2L3 Telephone: Fax: Website: (905) (866) info@prowind.ca AUTHORIZATIONS REQUIRED Several licenses and authorizations, other than the REA are required in order for the project to proceed. Applicable permits, licenses and authorizations are listed in Table 5 below. TABLE 5 GUNN S HILL WIND GUNN'S HILL FARM REQUIRED AUTHORIZATIONS Agency Outside of REA Upper Thames River Conservation Authority NavCanada Transport Canada Ministry of Transportation Township of Norwich County of Oxford City of Woodstock Ontario Power Authority Hydro One Woodstock Hydro Ministry of the Environment Description O Application for Development, Interference with Wetlands or Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses O Section 28 permit (drilling under watercourses) O Land Use Clearance Permit o Turbine Lighting o Oversize/Overweight Permit o Encroachment Permit (Highway 401) O Building Permit O Road Allowance & Road Use Agreements O Drainage Act Provincial agency O Road Allowance & Road Use Agreements O Road Allowance & Road Use Agreements O Feed-In-Tariff Contract, Notice to Proceed O Joint Use Agreement to share existing utility poles in the project vicinity o Connection Impact Assessment/System Impact Assessment o Connection Cost Recovery Agreement o Joint Use Agreement to share existing utility poles in the project vicinity o Permit to Take Water (if required) June

13 Ministry of Natural Resources Included in REA Ministry of Natural Resources Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport Township of Norwich, City of Woodstock O Permit under Public Lands Act O Permit under Endangered Species Act (if required) O Approval/Comments on draft REA o Clearance/Comments on Archaeology and Heritage Resource reports O Municipal Consultation Form 3.3. FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT It is expected that a Federal Environmental Assessment will not be required for the Project, as the Project is not listed in the Regulations Designating Physical Activities under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012). The main federal involvement in s environmental approval process is the consultation with Environment Canada (EC) in regard to planning and results of avian surveys. Feedback from EC was solicited both prior to and throughout pre- construction bird surveys. In addition, the draft REA was sent to EC for review and comment. There is no expectation for the requirement of federal permits or approvals under the Fisheries Act or Species at Risk Act or the Navigable Waters Protection Act. An Aeronautical Obstruction Clearance from Transport Canada for turbine lighting has been obtained as well as Land Use Clearance from NavCanada for aeronautical safety. June

14 4. PROJECT INFORMATION 4.1. PROJECT COMPONENTS will employ the use of up to ten Siemens SWT wind turbine generators that combine to produce a maximum of 25 MW of electricity. The proposed project layout is shown in Appendix A - Map 1 and includes the major components of the Project listed below: Up to 10 Siemens SWT wind turbines (2.5 MW maximum power); Step up transformers located at or within the base of each turbine (step up voltage approximately 0.69 kv to 27.6 kv); Turbine laydown and storage areas (including temporary staging areas, crane pads and turnaround areas surrounding each wind turbine); Temporary construction infrastructure (including laydown areas for construction materials, construction trailers, storage sheds, parking areas, concrete wash ponds); Underground fibre optic cables and electrical collection lines (27.6 kv) and ancillary equipment (e.g., above ground electrical junction boxes) to connect the turbines to the proposed substation; Substation which switches the underground electrical collection lines to overhead lines and contains the necessary protection and control, switchgear, and communication equipment to safely operate the project; An approximately 6.5 km underground and overhead dedicated feeder line (27.6 kv) on Hydro One and Woodstock Hydro poles to connect to the provincially controlled electrical grid (through the Woodstock Transformer Station); Turbine access roads; and Optional Operations and Maintenance building, with permanent parking and/or storage shed Meteorological Tower A temporary meteorological tower was installed within the project area in May The tower was removed in January Turbines The commercial scale turbines proposed for the will consist of three main components: foundation, tower, and nacelle/rotor. Modern wind turbines self- regulate, optimize, and monitor output parameters using a variety of sophisticated instrumentation. Figure 2 shows a typical commercial scale wind turbine. June

15 FIGURE 2 A TYPICAL COMMERCIAL SCALE WIND TURBINE The will incorporate wind turbines with a total height (tower + blade) of 156 m, a rotor diameter of 113 m and a guaranteed maximum sound power level of db(a). The Applicant will ensure that all applicable noise and setback regulations have been met in the wind farm design. All modeling will incorporate the guaranteed sound power level presented by the turbine manufacturer. The project will consist of up to ten Siemens SWT wind turbines each producing a maximum total power output of 2.5 MW. Tables 2 and 3 summarize the key parameters of the Siemens SWT as requested in table 1 of O. Reg 359/09. Additional turbine specifications are presented in the Turbine Specification Report. The acoustic emission specification document included within the Turbine Specification Report states that the maximum sound power level for the turbine (Lwa) measured in accordance with IEC is db(a). The Noise Assessment Report, which demonstrates project compliance with provincial noise regulations is presented in the Design and Operations Report, Appendix E. June

16 FIGURE 3 DRAWING OF THE ROTOR AND BLADES OF A WIND TURBINE The wind turbine will have three blades mounted to the hub that will not exceed a rotational speed of 15.5 revolutions per minute (0.26 Hz). The nacelle, which contains much of the mechanical and electrical conversion equipment, will be insulated to reduce sound emissions. The nacelle and rotor sit on top of a tower that will be made of steel. The hub height of the tower will be 99.5 m above ground level and will be assembled from sections on- site. The base of the tower will be approximately 4.2 m wide. A step up transformer, to be located near or within the base of the tower, is used to step- up the turbine output voltage to that of the wind farm collection system. The turbine will be equipped with a lightning protection system. Lightning receptors will be installed along the blades and the turbine will be grounded through the base of the turbine foundation. The turbine will also be equipped with a fire detection system inside the nacelle. The tower, nacelle and rotor are painted with a matte, non- reflective, light grey paint to reduce glint on sunny days, thus reducing the visual impact of the turbines. The foundation of the turbine is a buried concrete footing structure that supports the wind turbine itself. The final design of the foundation is dependent on site- specific subsurface soil and groundwater conditions. Concrete will be trucked to the site from a plant, and re- bar will June

17 be used extensively in the construction of the foundation. The tower will connect to the foundation via a circular flange or mounting bracket that is held in place with threaded rods. A cold weather package may be installed in each turbine. The system would ensure that turbine components such as blades, lubricants, and electronics are well heated during cold temperature events Substation The substation area will outwardly resemble steel cabinets, bolted to a concrete pad that will be surrounded by a secured fence. The substation will consist of fenced- in metal enclosures housing switchgear, communication hardware, over- current protection devices, and potentially a communication antenna mounted on a m metal lattice tower for the project. There is no Transformer needed at the substation due to step- up transformers located at each of the turbines. The electrical line will exit the substation as a buried cable for 350 m and emerge at the existing overhead pole line route and continue as overhead line for the remainder for the feeder line route. The substation will be located on the south side of Firehall Road, east of the buried cable at Turbine 1, and will be located within a cleared area that of approximately 40 m x 80 m that will also house the optional Operations & Maintenance building and permanent parking. The main function of the substation will be to house the electrical switchgear, protection and control systems, and the Supervision Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) monitoring equipment. The collection system from the wind farm will enter one side of the switching station via underground or overhead cabling, connect to the housed equipment, and then exit via overhead cables. Substation construction will involve the removal and redistribution of topsoil from the substation area. A concrete slab for each metal enclosure will be poured on top of a layer of engineered gravel up to approximately 60 cm thick. The metal enclosures for the electrical components will be bolted to the concrete slabs outlined above. The precise dimensions of the electrical enclosures will be determined once the Engineering and Procurement Contractor (EPC) has selected specific equipment. The small metal lattice tower approximately m in height may be required to host a communications link for the substation. If needed, it will be mounted to a concrete footing. An antenna will be mounted on the tower for the purpose of allowing the electrical system operator to control the switches that connect the wind farm to the electrical grid Electrical System The electric cabling of the collection system is used to connect all turbines to the substation and will be installed as underground lines. The collection system will be designed with a voltage of 27.6 kv. The buried collection system will be installed at a depth of at least 1 m below grade to minimize the risk of disrupting farming operations. A fibre optic cable will also be buried June

18 along with the electrical collection system cabling. The fibre optic cable will provide a communication link between turbines and the SCADA equipment. In addition to agricultural fields, the collection system will be run in the road allowance along Firehall Rd for approximately 3 km and Middletown Line for approximately 1 km. The collection system along this pathway will be buried as described above. The tap line (27.6 KV) is used to connect the project to the existing provincially controlled grid. This line will be buried for a length of approximately 350 m from the substation west to the existing overhead Hydro One poles. This line will be strung on existing Hydro One and Woodstock Hydro poles up to the point of common coupling at or adjacent to the Woodstock TS where the cable will connect to the low voltage bus. The overhead cable is approximately 6 km. The overhead wires will have a rated voltage of 27.6 kv. Hydro One and Woodstock Hydro will determine whether upgrades are needed to the existing poles to support the additional cables and perform the upgrades at the cost of the proponent. A portion of the tap line will traverse the Cedar Creek Golf Club lands. This portion of the cabling may be overhead or underground depending on the needs of the golf course owners and Hydro One Access Roads Access roads to project turbines will have a foundation of grade B gravel and a finished surface of grade A gravel. To construct the roads within agricultural fields the topsoil will be stripped and either redistributed over the landowners adjacent field or stored adjacent to each road in low- lying windrows for replacement if roads are narrowed after construction is remediated. Geotechnical testing will determine if further excavation is required to support the access road and will determine the thickness of each gravel layer. Turbine specifications indicate that the minimum axle load to serve as the basis of road design be 9702 kg (20,000 lbs) per axle plus any applicable safety margin. There will be 5.6 km of access road constructed for this project, of which 1.6 km will use existing laneways. The location of the access roads were determined in discussion with the landowners and considers their specific farming practices. The roads will be constructed such that the surface of the road is roughly flush with the field surface to allow for minimal disruption to farming operations. Access roads during the operation phase of the project will be 5 m wide. The extra gravel making up the 48 m turning radii required for equipment deliveries during the construction phase of the project will be removed once the project is operating. Culverts will need to be upgraded or installed at the entrance of each access road. Entrances may be gated pending detailed consultation with emergency services and the landowners. Access roads will be maintained during the winter months and will require snow clearing to allow regular maintenance and inspection. June

19 Stormwater Management System Stormwater management features will be incorporated into the access roads and constructed in accordance with appropriate regulations and local municipal engineering guidelines. In addition, area drainage from the distribution substation will be accomplished through swales/ditches adjacent to the proposed access road that will collect and convey runoff from the substation area and the associated access road. The total drainage area associated with the substation and access road hard surfaces is less than 2 ha and therefore a wet water quality control pond (i.e. one containing a permanent pool) is inappropriate, as per the MOE SWM Planning and Design Guidelines Manual (2003). In addition to the conveyance of runoff, the swales will also provide water quality control, which is a suitable stormwater management practice for such an area according to the MOE guidelines Lay-Down Areas A turbine component lay- down area covering approximately 1 hectare will be required around each turbine during the construction phase. This area is required to store tower sections, blades, the nacelle and the rotor hub during the construction process. The crane pad will also be located within this area. The turbine lay- down area will be constructed by stripping back the topsoil layer and covering the area with gravel. Topsoil will be stockpiled in low lying wind rows adjacent to the lay- down area to reduce erosion. After the turbine is installed the gravel will be removed from the lay- down area and the topsoil will be returned. A crane pad approximately 20 m x 40 m will be constructed within the turbine lay- down area. The crane pad will be constructed of gravel such that the bearing capacity is approximately 287 kpa. The gravel from the crane pad area will also be stripped away and the topsoil will be restored after the construction phase of the project Temporary Buildings and Structures A temporary building will be installed within the project area over the duration of project construction. The characteristics and size of this temporary building will be determined by the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) company engaged for Gunn s Hill Wind Farm. It is expected that this temporary building will be in the form of one or more portable trailers brought to the site upon commencement of construction activities, and removed once commissioning is complete. These trailers may have electrical connections, but not plumbing. In addition, approximately three 2.4 m x 6.1 m temporary metal storage containers will be utilized during the construction phase. Portable washroom facilities will also be utilized during the construction phase Temporary Concrete Wash Ponds During construction of the turbine foundations, two concrete wash ponds will be established at strategic locations within the project area. These wash ponds serve to contain waste produced as trucks are cleaned following concrete pouring. A shallow hole is dug in the ground and is then covered with a geo- textile membrane to filter solids from the water. External parts of the truck are washed above the membrane. Excess concrete will solidify on that membrane. June

20 At the end of the construction or when the membrane is filled with hardened concrete, it is disposed of at an authorized site. More details on the concrete wash ponds are presented in the Construction Plan Report Operations and Maintenance Building An Operations and Maintenance building may be constructed to support the operational phase of the project. The building would be approximately 16 m x 32 m and would host office space, parking for approximately 4 vehicles, tools and spare parts for the wind farm. The building would be constructed on a standard concrete foundation using wood and/or steel building materials that are typical in agricultural settings. Water will be supplied to the facility from a new on- site well and sewage will be handled by a new septic system installed on- site. Municipal permits will be sought for water/septic at this facility. The Operations and Maintenance building is planned to be located at the 40 m x 80 m area that will be cleared east of the buried cable to Turbine 1. The substation will also constructed at this location Storage Shed A storage shed approximately 10 m x 10 m may be built to store tools, small spare parts, and waste fluids until a specialized contractor removes them for disposal. The shed will be built to a standard suitable for hazardous waste storage so that any leaks or spills of waste lubricants from the site are contained and prevented from contacting the ground or surface water. This facility will be built if it is decided that an Operations and Maintenance building is not necessary. If an Operations and Maintenance building is built, the storage shed will be built as part of that facility PROJECT ACTIVITIES The lifecycle of a wind farm progresses through three stages: 1. Construction and Installation - This stage is expected to take 6 to 12 months. It will be comprised of surveying, road construction, foundation construction, electrical cable installation, turbine installation, testing and commissioning. 2. Operation and Maintenance This stage is expected to last twenty years at the Gunn s Hill Wind Farm. Maintenance includes regularly scheduled service as well as emergency response. 3. Decommissioning - This stage is similar to construction, but will only take up to 6 months. This stage includes the dismantling of the wind turbines and other infrastructure and restoration of the land to its original state. Construction will occur as soon as permits have been secured and the site conditions are suitable for planned activities. Certain construction activities will not occur during restricted seasonal periods. Local roads and highways are not available for heavy loads transport during March and April, nor is the ground suitable at this time for construction of the crane June

21 pad areas. Any activity within 30 m of surface water crossings (hydro pole replacement) will not be done during the fish spawning and rearing period of March 15 to June 30. Once started, construction is expected to take 6 months, not including the exception periods stated above. The Operational phase of the project will begin as soon as commissioning has occurred and is expected to last for 20 years. Routine maintenance will be ongoing during this time. Roadways will be maintained and snow will be cleared throughout the operation of the project. It is expected that a major component will need to be replaced in an approximately 7- year cycle, which may require heavy load transportation and rehabilitation of the crane pad areas and turning radii. The Decommissioning phase will begin after the end of operation of the wind farm and in any event, no later than 12 months beyond the official decommissioning date. This phase is expected to take less than 6 months to complete and will occur outside any period where road limits apply, or the ground is not suitable for crane pad reconstruction (i.e. March April), or sensitive time periods for local habitat Construction The construction phase includes activities such as transportation, site clearing/grading, road building, turbine erection, foundation installation, and collection system and substation installation. Further detail can be found within the Construction Plan Report. All project activities will be undertaken according to current guidelines provided by governmental agencies, Hydro One and the turbine manufacturer Surveying and Geotechnical Investigation The exact location of the turbines and access roads will be determined by a registered Ontario land surveyor and marked out with stakes. The access to the site will be by lightweight vehicle and use existing roads and field edges as much as possible. This activity is expected to take approximately 1 week. Geotechnical sampling will be conducted at the site prior to construction. This involves borehole sampling within the turbine foundation area. Turbine manufacturers require knowledge of the subsurface soil conditions in order to design the appropriate foundation. A wide variety of soil properties are determined and groundwater levels are measured to enable an engineer to design a safe foundation Land Clearing The turbines will be located within existing agricultural fields. Land clearing will be limited to the excavation and on- site stockpiling of topsoil. No topsoil will be removed from the site at any time. Land clearing will occur for the construction of the access roads, crane pad and tower foundation. June

22 Access Road and Crane Pad Construction Access roads are placed to minimize the impacts to the natural environment and farming practices. Access roads will be built on private land and maintained privately. Maintenance of the roads, including snow removal, is the responsibility of the wind farm operator. During construction, topsoil will be removed from the surface and either redistributed on the landowner s adjacent field or stockpiled as low- lying windrows along the length of the access road. Access roads will be built from compacted gravel sourced from a local aggregate quarry. Access roads will be built to a width of 5 m and maintained at this dimension throughout the life of the project. Certain sections of access roads will be built to 11 m widths during the construction phase to allow the main installation crane to crawl between turbine sites. These roads will be graded to self- drain. Entrances from Firehall Road, Middletown Line, and Curries Road will require a turning radius of a maximum of 48 m for construction and delivery equipment. All roadways and entrances will adhere to municipal regulations. If any existing culverts require upgrading, consultation with the municipality and local conservation authority will take place and permits will be sought under the Ontario Drainage Act as required. The design of new or upgraded culvert installation will comply with local municipal regulations. Access roads to project turbines will be 5 m wide during the operational phase and have a foundation of grade B gravel and a finished surface of grade A gravel. To construct the roads within agricultural fields the topsoil will be stripped and spread over the directly adjacent field. In total there will be 5.6 km of access roads required for all 10 turbines, of which 1.6 km will utilize existing driveways/laneways and field access paths. Geotechnical testing will determine if further excavation is required to support the access road and will determine the thickness of each gravel layer. The roads must be capable of supporting approximately 9702 kg (20,000 lbs) per axle for turbine delivery trucks. Wherever possible, access roads will be built such that the surface of the road is roughly flush with the field surface to allow for minimal disruption to farming operations and drainage patterns. The extra gravel making up the 48 m turning radii required during the construction phase of the project will be removed during the operational phase. Lay- down area and crane pad construction is similar to that of the access roads. A turbine component lay- down area covering approximately 1 hectare (100 m x 100 m) will be required around each turbine during the construction and decommissioning phases. This area is required to store tower sections, power electronics, blades, the nacelle and the rotor hub during the construction and decommissioning. The crane pad will also be located within this area. The turbine lay- down area will be constructed by stripping back the topsoil layer and covering the area with gravel. Topsoil will be stockpiled in low- lying windrows adjacent to the lay- down area. After the turbine is installed the gravel will be removed from the lay- down area with the exception of the crane pad and the topsoil will be returned. Topsoil storage locations are shown on the Construction Site Plan contained within the Construction Plan Report. June

23 A crane pad approximately 20 m x 40 m will be constructed within the turbine lay- down area. The crane pad area will be removed during the operational phase of the project. The topsoil from this area will be restored. Further details on soil storage during the construction phase of the project can be found in the Construction Plan Report Transport of Equipment The wind turbine and related hardware will be transported to the site via transport truck. Five tower sections will be delivered separately and be stored on the lay- down area until installation. The nacelle and each of the blades will be delivered to the site separately. Due to the size of the wind turbine components, oversized transport trucks will be necessary to transport equipment. It is typical that turbine manufacturers or a specialized contractor oversee the logistics of transportation of major equipment to the site for construction Foundation Construction Foundation construction begins with the removal and stockpiling of topsoil. Excavated material will be stockpiled and used for back- filling and grading operations once the foundation is complete. Specific on- site soil conditions at each turbine location will determine the final foundation design, however it is likely that shallow- spread foundations will be used for the. Typically, dimensions for a shallow spread foundation are approximately 20 m in diameter and 3 m in depth. A reinforced steel frame is constructed first and then concrete will be poured for each foundation. Any wash water from the cleaning of the concrete truck chutes will be disposed of in the concrete wash ponds designed for that purpose. The construction of all ten foundations will likely take eight weeks to complete. A minimum of five weeks is necessary for the foundation to cure before turbine erection can commence Turbine Installation After the main components arrive on site the turbine erection team will begin to assemble electrical equipment located in the base of the tower. Once completed, the bottom section of the tower is lifted and placed around the electrical assembly. It is then bolted to the foundation mounting ring, which is previously set into the concrete foundation. The remaining sections of the tower are lifted and stacked on top of each other to complete the tower. Each section of tower is bolted to the previous section. The nacelle is lifted and bolted to the top of the tower. The blades are either mounted to the rotor on the ground or lifted individually and installed. Local meteorological conditions at the time of turbine installation determine which method is used. Once the hardware is secured in place, the electrical connections between the nacelle and electrical equipment at the base of the tower are made. June

24 Sewage and Wastewater Management There are no planned disruptions to any municipal sewage management system for the purposes of the wind farm. Local residents have individual septic tanks and fields which have been carefully located. Project activities will avoid these areas. Portable toilets will be installed onsite to handle sewage and maintained appropriately. Sewage will be removed by a sewage pumping contractor. Two concrete wash ponds will be constructed on site to facilitate minimal washing of truck chutes after delivery of concrete for the foundations. This will be constructed as a shallow pit lined with geo- textile membrane to allow water to pass through while sediment is contained within the membrane Water-Taking Activities Water will be used during construction for dust control, erosion control, equipment maintenance and cement truck washing. This water will be brought in from off site in a water truck. Water may need to be removed from the foundations during foundation construction and a Permit To Take Water (PTTW) may be required for this purpose. Geotechnical surveys will be conducted to determine if a PTTW will be required Electrical Network Installation To collect and deliver the power generated from the turbines to the provincial grid, a combination of underground and overhead wires will be installed. The electrical collection system is used to connect the turbines to a common point, in this case, a non- Transformer Substation, located along Firehall Rd. The electrical collection system will be underground cables and will be primarily installed via direct burial where soil type permits. Direct burial is a method by which an excavator digs or trench digger digs a trench below the tile drainage system on a farm and lays the cabling at a depth that avoids farming operations. The installation depth is typically greater than 1 m. Flagging tape will be placed below tile grade to identify the depth of the buried cable. A small amount of crushed gravel or sand may be used to line the trench. Material excavated from the trench will be used to refill the trench once the cables are in place. The trench will be compacted and the original topsoil will be replaced. Any damages to the tile drainage system will be repaired prior to the backfilling of the trench. The collection system consists of three electrical cables running at a system voltage of 27.6 kv, a neutral ground, and a fibre optic cable. The grounding wire will be the same diameter as the Hydro One system grounding wire to minimize the risk of stray voltage. The fibre optic cable is used for communication between turbines. The collection system cables connect to the transformer at the base of each turbine and subsequently connect to the other turbines along the collection system route. A T- junction box will be used to join radial arms of the collection system. Trenchless technology will be used where the collection systems intersects existing infrastructure and natural features such June

25 as wetlands and watercourses. Appropriate permits and agreements to bore under existing features such as watercourses, roads or utility lines will be obtained prior to the construction phase. The electrical cables will exit the substation below ground for approximately 350 m then will be strung on above ground electrical poles located within the municipal road easement along the remaining portion of Firehall Road and then north to the Woodstock TS. Existing poles within this easement may be upgraded as determined by Hydro One or Woodstock Hydro to accommodate the additional lines. Road easement permits will be obtained from the City/Township/County, where necessary. Overhead lines will be strung along existing, new or upgraded poles in the road allowance. Road User Agreements will be needed from Township of Norwich, City of Woodstock and Oxford County for placement of the cable in the road allowance. Consultation will these three agencies is ongoing. Once the electrical system reaches City of Woodstock boundaries it will extend along Pattullo Avenue and pass over Highway 401 to Athlone Avenue and then north to Juliana Drive. The Ministry of Transportation will be consulted regarding an Encroachment Permit to cross Highway 401. The line will head north through the Cedar Creek Golf Club as an overhead line or underground line to Parkinson Road, and then continue overhead north on South Street to connect to the Woodstock Transformer Station. An alternative route around the golf course was considered that continued along Juliana Dr, north of Norwich Ave and west of Parkinson Road. It was determined that the route through the golf course would have the least impact to surrounding residents and at this time, is the preferred route. All works will comply with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code regulations Substation Construction The substation will be located on the south side of Firehall Road just east of the buried cable to Turbine 1. Construction will involve the removal and storage of topsoil from a 40 m x 80 m area. A concrete foundation will be poured on top of engineered gravel. Substation electrical components typically consist of switchgear, SCADA, fuses, communication hardware and antenna, and other protection and control systems. This equipment is housed in grey electrical cabinets bolted to a concrete foundation. The substation area will be fenced to ensure safety and security Wind Farm Commissioning Several tests will be performed on the wind farm prior to start up. Turbines, collection system, and substation will be checked for system continuity and expected performance. Tests will be conducted by the turbine manufacturer and Hydro One. If problems or issues are identified, modifications will be made prior to start up Site Rehabilitation Site rehabilitation is planned for all areas of construction. The main objective is to restore ecosystem attributes and associated vegetation communities to pre- disturbance conditions to June

26 the largest degree possible. It is expected that the most disruption will occur on agricultural land. In these areas, the land will be re- graded to existing drainage patterns and tile drains will be repaired or upgraded to ensure continued function of the farmland. It is anticipated that each farmer will till and plant their desired crop during the next planting season. In areas disrupted by construction that are not agricultural areas, re- vegetation will occur using native plants. The main goal of the rehabilitation process is to return any ecosystem attributes to pre- construction conditions Operation/Maintenance The operational phase for the will have a minimum duration of 20 years from commissioning. With improvements in technology, a diligent maintenance program, and re- powering, the life of a wind farm can be extended well beyond twenty years. Many manufacturers define the lifetime of a turbine to be between twenty and twenty- five years, at which point the equipment would be replaced or operations would cease Wind Farm Operation Due to the intermittent nature of wind, turbines will only produce power when the speed of the wind is greater than a minimum threshold. Based on the wind distribution determined from the meteorological sampling period, it is expected that the will produce electrical power approximately 80-90% of the time. The maximum rotational speed of the blades is limited to 15.5 revolutions per minute. The minimum wind speed required for the turbine to operate is 3-5 m/s. At 25 m/s, the turbine will automatically shut down. Turbines are computer controlled and do not need human resources on site to manage the wind farm operation on a day- to- day basis. Monitoring of system parameters is performed remotely by the use of the SCADA system. Turbines will be connected directly to each other via fibre optic cable and information regarding turbine status is relayed back to a monitoring centre, which alerts operators if issues arise. If a problem occurs, the turbine can be shut down or adjusted until the problem is resolved Wind Farm Maintenance Turbines typically require maintenance twice a year. Teams of two maintenance workers will conduct the activities together for safety purposes. Turbine manufacturers guarantee turbine availability during the warranty period. Guaranteed availability is typically ~90% for the first 6 months of operation and 95% or greater in the first five years of operation. Scheduled maintenance will be conducted during periods of low wind speed to the greatest extent possible. Typical maintenance visits will include hardware inspection, bolt re- torquing, replacement of lubricant and coolant fluids, and inspection of electronics. Diagnostic tests, as well as visual inspection, typically take one to four days to complete, depending on the amount of maintenance required. All maintenance staff will be trained in emergency spill response. Due to the small volumes of hazardous fluids used within a gearless turbine, the likelihood of a spill occurring is low. Consumables such as the various greases used to keep the mechanical components operating and hydraulic systems will be used for routine maintenance tasks. Following all maintenance work on the turbine, the area is cleaned up. All June