Ontario on track for coal-free power

TORONTO, ONTARIO - According to a recent report from the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), the Canadian province of Ontario is well positioned for the entire phase-out of coal-fired generation by the end of 2014. Replacement capacity is either on-line or on schedule.

Replacing coal fired power generation in Ontario will represent the single largest greenhouse gas reduction initiative in North America according to IESO – the equivalent to taking almost seven million cars off the roads.

10,000 MW of new generation or demand management is in service or planned, comprising of refurbishment of nuclear power facilities, additional natural gas generation, energy production efficiency initiatives and over 1,400 MW of renewable generation – mostly through wind energy, solar power and biomass projects – to be in place by 2011.

Ontario now leads Canada in wind power capacity, with over 700 megawatts of installed wind turbines, and more on the way. Between January and November 2008, over 1 terawatt hours of wind driven electricity was generated. The province is aiming to have over a gigawatt of wind power capacity up and running by the end of this year.

The intermittent nature of wind power makes it difficult to forecast generation in Ontario with certainty. For example, wind output on December 2, 2008 rose to 617 MW. By contrast, wind production reached a low of just 2 MW on July 19, 2008, a hot and windless day.

An IESO snapshot of fuels used to meet electricity demand on January 6 – 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Ontario show the following:

Nuclear: 10047 MW

Hydro: 5522 MW

Gas: 2273 MW

Coal: 2940 MW

Wind: 357 MW

Other: 153 MW

In the above figures, only 13.8% of Ontario's power was derived from coal-fired generation. According to the Australian Coal Association, black and brown coal accounts for over 85 per cent of AustraliaÂ’s electric power.

Related News

US Electricity Prices

US Electricity Prices Rise Most in 41 Years as Inflation Endures

WASHINGTON - Electricity bills for US consumers jumped the most since 1981, gaining 15.8% from the same period a year ago, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Natural gas bills, which crept back up last month after dipping in July, surged 33% from the same month last year, labor data released Tuesday showed. Broader energy costs slipped for a second consecutive month because of lower gasoline and fuel oil prices. Even with that drop, total energy costs were still about 24% above August 2021 levels.

Electricity costs are relentlessly climbing because prices for the two biggest power-plant fuels -- natural…

READ MORE
power lines

Competition in Electricity Has Been Good for Consumers and Good for the Environment

READ MORE

georgia power

Georgia Power customers to see $21 reduction on June bills

READ MORE

California proposes income-based fixed electricity charges

California proposes income-based fixed electricity charges

READ MORE

ontario nuclear

Ontario confronts reality of being short of electricity in the coming years

READ MORE