Update:
An open house planned for Wednesday, Jan. 15 to discuss a proposed solar energy project near McLeese Lake has been postponed until next week due to extreme cold weather, confirmed Steve Forseth, Cariboo Regional District Area D director.
The meeting is now scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. at the McLeese Lake Community Hall.
Read more: School buses cancelled in all Cariboo communities, Puntzi Mountain records temperature of -47.5C
Original:
A potential solar energy facility near McLeese Lake will be the subject of an informal open house in January.
Cariboo Regional District Area D director Steve Forseth said he is hosting the session about Sunfield Energy Inc.’s proposed feasibility study for the project.
Read more: Sunfield Energy Inc. provides info on proposed solar project near McLeese Lake
“I started to receive inquiries when the legal ad went into the Tribune back in early October,” Forseth said. “Residents in the McLeese Lake area are concerned about location or the impact to the land. Xat’sull First Nations has archeological concerns about the proposal sites for the feasibility study areas.”
Forseth said he felt the proponent should explain their project to the community and answer initial questions and concerns from the local community.
Read more: VIDEO: Tsilhqot’in Nation celebrates new solar farm west of Williams Lake
The land in question for the investigative licence is located off Duckworth Lake FSR Road accessed from the Soda Creek Townsite Road and Hill Road in the Marguerite area, 45 kilometres south of Quesnel and 34 kilometres north of Williams Lake.
Sunfield Energy noted the sole purpose of initial applications is to investigate the viability of site solar resources and other technical, engineering, environmental, economic and social studies required the feasibility of a possible future Solar PV and Storage clean energy project within the boundaries of the proposed Plateau Solar Project.
The project if constructed to the two specified capacities would be expected to generate enough low cost clean GHG emissions-free power to support regional industrial expansion and investment, or supply approximately 200 to 10,000 B.C. homes respectively.
Forseth said the information session will take place Wednesday, Jan. 15 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the McLeese Lake community hall, 6178 Forglen Road.
Representatives from Sunfield Energy and the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) will be there as the permit has to go through the ministry.