Council supports residents and turns thumbs down on energy project

Stirling-Rawdon council won’t support a proposed 100 to 200 megawatt battery electricity storage system on land not far northeast of the village.

At a council meeting Monday residents brought a petition with over 500 names to council opposing the project which if approved would be located on property at Hoards and Bedford roads.

Stirling-Rawdon Mayor Bob Mullin said many residents had concerns about fires and especially about the environment saying the battery storage system would be close to the village’s source water protection area.

“So there was that groundwater contamination issue that will always be a concern and there were other concerns about security at the site and access to the site.”

Council’s decision to not support the project by Liberty Power won’t necessarily stop it from being built as the final decision will be made by the province’s Independent Electricity System Operator.