Wind – Noise Study
EDF EN Canada Development Inc. (“ECDI”) asked the AUC to consider whether its post-construction comprehensive noise study complied with AUC Rule 012: Noise Control (“Rule 12”).
ECDI received approval from the AUC to modify the Blackspring Ridge wind power plant (“Blackspring”) in Decision 2013-004 and Decision 2013-238. In Decision 3537-D01-2015, the AUC determined that while Blackspring was compliant with Rule 12 for daytime and nighttime sound levels at four receptor locations, the AUC held that ECDI had not complied at a fifth receptor location for nighttime sound levels after isolation. The AUC accordingly ordered ECDI to conduct a post-construction comprehensive noise study within two years of the decision.
ECDI submitted a post-construction noise study which analyzed two, nine hour nighttime periods, of which it submitted 4.2 hours could be considered as “representative conditions”. ECDI submitted that the measured and adjusted average sound levels during representative conditions were 36.8 dBA Leq, and that low frequency noise was not a concern for the project.
The AUC determined that the measurements collected by ECDI for the purposes of the post-construction noise assessment, and the conclusions of the noise assessment were compliant with the requirements of Rule 12. Accordingly, the AUC held that ECDI’s noise assessment was within the 40 dBA Leq nighttime permissible sound limit under Rule 12, and therefore ECDI had satisfied the AUC’s order in Decision 3537-D01-2015.
