Melancthon Wind Plants
Township of Melancthon

Date: 2004-date
Partner-in-charge: John Bousfield

Bousfields was retained by Canadian Hydro Developers Inc., a leading renewable energy producer, to secure planning approvals for the Melancthon I Wind Plant, a 67.5 megawatt (MW) wind farm in the southern portion of Melancthon Township, near Shelburne.  The wind plant consists of 45 wind turbine generators, each rated at 1.5 MW.  Part of the Province’s Renewable Energy Development initiative, the Melancthon I Plant is the first utility-scale wind plant built and operational in Ontario. At the time of construction, it was the largest wind plant in the Province.

The wind farm required amendments to the Township’s Official Plan and Zoning By-law in addition to site plan approval, on an expedited basis in order to meet the requirements of the Province’s Request for Proposals.  Bousfields prepared the applications based on technical drawings by the client and facilitated the public consultation and review processes.  We also worked with Township staff and the client to prepare and implement appropriate Official Plan policies and zoning standards to provide for a functional generating facility, while addressing noise and safety concerns and minimizing impacts on the agricultural land base. 

The required planning approvals were obtained in July 2005 and, after 9 months of construction, the Melancthon I Wind Plant became operational in March 2006.  Bousfields is currently working on the Melancthon II Wind Plant, a 132 MW facility straddling Highway 89 in Melancthon and Amaranth Townships.