Wind generation in Ontario sets a record

Over a 24-hour period on March 11, wind energy totalled 16,585 megawatt hours (MWh) - enough electricity to power a city the size of Peterborough for a week. The hourly average wind output was 691 megawatts (MW), with a high output of 781 MW and a low output of 419 MW.

"The strong winds translated into record levels of electricity produced by wind turbines located throughout the province," said Ken Kozlik, Chief Operating Officer of the IESO. "Ontario is making significant progress in its efforts to phase out coal-fired generation and develop a greener, more sustainable supply mix, which will lead to more record-breaking days."

With nearly 900 MW of wind capacity providing energy into the electricity market, Ontario is leading the country in wind generation capacity. The IESO forecasts that at least two terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity will be produced by wind farms over the next year.