Request for Motion: Decline Nexus Battery Project BESS at This Time
Open Letter to Township of Cavan Monaghan Council - June, 23, 2025
Dear Mayor Graham and Members of Council,
I am writing to strongly urge Council to halt any further consideration or approval of the proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility in the Township of Cavan Monaghan.
This project presents serious and unresolved public safety, environmental, and fiscal risks that cannot be dismissed.
This Is a Province-Wide Campaign—Not a Local Partnership
Let’s be clear: this isn’t a locally initiated project. Nexus Energy is conducting a province-wide promotional campaign, presenting BESS proposals to multiple rural councils across Ontario. They are shopping for low-resistance approvals—not entering into true partnerships with local communities.
That means we’re not just deciding for Cavan Monaghan—we’re part of a pattern. And our Township has the opportunity to lead by example. The burden is on the company—not the community—to prove this is safe, beneficial, and wanted. Until they do, Council must pause and protect residents from being rushed into a high-risk agreement.
Fire Safety Gaps: Proven Risk, Inadequate Local Response
We’ve confirmed that only two firefighters in our Township are trained to handle lithium battery fires. These are not routine fires—they can burn for hours, release toxic gases, and require specialized suppression tactics.
• In 2024, a lithium fire in Montreal led to evacuations from just one container.
• Moss Landing, APS Arizona, Beijing, and Neermoor, Germany have all seen serious BESS incidents, including injuries and toxic smoke evacuations.
Council must require a full fire response and liability plan before any permitting or land-use decision.
This Isn’t “Green”—It’s a Global Extraction Scheme
The public is being sold this project as part of a “clean energy transition,” but the reality is very different:
Where does the lithium come from?
Most lithium is mined in South America, China, and Africa—using high-impact methods that deplete water, destroy landscapes, and often violate labour and human rights. These are environmentally and ethically troubling global supply chains.What’s the carbon footprint?
From mining and refining, to overseas shipping, to on-site maintenance and eventual disposal, this system carries a massive carbon cost that undermines any local environmental benefit.How long do these batteries last—and who pays when they fail?
BESS systems typically last 10–15 years. Then what? Is there a decommissioning plan or a recycling agreement? Who is responsible for end-of-life cleanup?
This is not sustainable—it’s simply being branded that way to fast-track approval.
Who Profits—And Who Pays?
It’s critical to ask: who is truly benefiting from this project?
Nexus Energy and its investors profit by buying electricity cheap and selling high—this is grid speculation, not local service.
Meanwhile, residents bear the cost:
Emergency services burden
Property value risks
Insurance premium increases
Zero guaranteed energy supply in emergencies
This is not a public utility or local investment—it’s a private venture with all the upside centralized and all the risk localized.
Council Must Act to Protect Cavan Monaghan
You are not obligated to approve this project. The Province will not impose it. The decision is yours—and the standard must be transparency, safety, and informed public consent.
We respectfully request that Council:
Freeze all approvals related to this BESS project
Require a public information session with independent third-party experts
Demand full documentation of fire, safety, environmental, and economic impacts
Consider a Township-wide moratorium on all utility-scale BESS projects until proper oversight criteria are established
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We trust you will act in the best interest of residents and future generations.
Sincerely,
Maggie Braun
On behalf of concerned citizens of Cavan Monaghan, KICLEI Canada
📫 info@kiclei.ca | 🌐 kiclei.ca
📝 Sample Motion: Decline Support for Proposed BESS Project
Moved by: [Councillor Name]
Seconded by: [Councillor Name]
That Council decline to support the proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project by Nexus Energy at this time,
And further that no approvals or permits be considered until:
A full public consultation is held;
The Township receives complete safety, environmental, and emergency response plans from Nexus;
A third-party review confirms no negative impacts on public safety, local services, or property values.
Carried / Deferred / Defeated
[Date]
