PEI

Summerside looks for ways to generate more local power

Summerside residents were able to have their say Thursday about the future of the city's energy planning.

Residents hear from firm commissioned to look into city's energy capacity

The draft plan includes suggestions to generate more local power and reduce the amount of power Summerside Electric purchases from New Brunswick. (CBC)

Residents of Summerside, P.E.I., were able to have their say Thursday about the future of the city's energy planning.

An open house was held to hear from the firm commissioned to look into the city's energy capacity.

Summerside owns its electrical utility and wants to plan for its future. People were able to respond and suggest ideas during the open house.

Greg Gaudet, Summerside's municipal services director, said the draft plan includes suggestions to generate more local power and reduce the amount of power Summerside Electric purchases from New Brunswick.

"The plan itself is recommending the first approach to deal with demand side options for customers," he said.

"The second approach is looking at scalable battery storage and the third option is a bio diesel generator, so one of the recommendations (is) that if you do need conventional sources, try to make them the least environmental impact that you can make them."

The energy consultants will take feedback from residents and present council with a final report.  

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With files from Sarah MacMillan