Eves Takes Heat For Failed Electricity Policy
TORONTO, ON -- - Ontario Premier Ernie Eves, who has spent much of his 16 months in office grappling with the province's troubled electricity file, faced new questions Friday about why Ontarians weren't protected from a massive blackout that left millions without power.
Eves brushed off suggestions Friday that the policies of his Conservative government played a role in the situation.
"Our priority now is to restore power throughout the province of Ontario," he said.
The premier once again reiterated that the problem did not originate in Ontario, but could not explain why the province did not have better safeguards in place.
"Following (the blackout of) 1965, it's my understanding that those in charge did take such steps (to protect Ontario's grid)," he said.
Eves said he planned to ask New York Gov. George Pataki to participate in a review of how the breakdown occurred and ensure that it does not happen again.
For years, opposition critics have been suggesting that the Conservative government was more interested in privatizing electricity than guaranteeing adequate supplies for the province.
Electricity supply was expected to be a major issue in an election that had been expected in weeks.
On Friday, however, Eves said an election is far from his mind.
"There is no campaign and I'm not thinking about politics right now," he said.
"I'm thinking about the people of the province of Ontario and I'm thinking about getting power and essential services especially restored."
Related News
Report: Solar ITC Extension Would Be ‘Devastating’ for US Wind Market
WASHINGTON - The booming U.S. wind industry faces an uncertain future in the 2020s. Few factors are more important than the fate of the solar ITC.
An extension of the solar investment tax credit (ITC) at its 30 percent value would be “devastating” to the future U.S. wind market, according to a new Wood Mackenzie report.
The U.S. is on track to add a record 14.6 gigawatts of new wind capacity in 2020, and nearly 39 gigawatts during a three-year installation boom from 2019 to 2021, according to Wood Mackenzie’s 2019 North America Wind Power Outlook.
But the market’s trajectory begins to look…
