Wind power strategy called unfair

P.E.I.'s plan to develop wind energy has come under criticism from a private company that wants to build a wind farm of its own.

A company called Prince Edward Island Power wants the Island Regulatory and Appeals commission to intervene because it says the rules are stacked against private wind investors.

Prince Edward Island Power wants to build a 15-turbine wind farm in the Spring Valley area. Its owners say they're ready to invest $56 million of private money, but they say they can't because the province has already gotten into the wind business using taxpayers' money.

By law, Maritime Electric must buy 15 per cent of its energy from renewable resources by 2010. Most of that power will be available from two government-owned wind farms: one at East Point and one at North Cape. Government has also signed a $50-million deal with Ventus Energy, a private company, without calling for public proposals.

Prince Edward Island Power president Colin Reynolds says that effectively shut his company out of the wind business.

"They've insisted Maritime Electric sign an agreement with them that uses up that whole 15 per cent, so there is no room for private companies to develop any projects," said Reynolds.

"They should not be competing directly and aggressively with private companies."

Environment Minister Jamie Ballem says the province wants private developers, and that there is no limit on how much renewable energy Maritime Electric can buy. The 15 per cent is a minimum.

"There's nothing stopping Maritime Electric from going to 25 or 30 or 50 per cent or 100 per cent of renewal energy, but the 15 per cent is by 2010," said Ballem.

Ballem says the government is making further changes to make P.E.I. more wind friendly. That change will mean private developers can export renewable energy from Island wind farms.