Ontario Building More Electricity Generation and Storage to Meet Growing Demand

As Ontario’s unprecedented economic growth and the electrification of transportation and heavy industry continues, we know we have to be ready to provide the low-cost, reliable and clean electricity we need to continue our strong economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saying no to new investment in this province is a non-starter for this government, and that’s why Ontario has been looking at every option to meet our needs and ensure Ontario does not experience blackouts and brownouts.

  • Actions to date include;
    • Announcing Canada’s first grid-scale Small Modular Reactor;
    • Continuing operation of Pickering Nuclear Generating Station;
    • $342 million expansion of energy efficiency programs;
    • Re-contracting clean generation at biomass facilities and hydroelectric generators, and;
    • Launching competitive procurement processes.

To ensure reliability and keep costs down for people and businesses, Ontario is proceeding with its plan to procure 4,000 MW of new generation through these competitive procurements, including up to 1,500 MW of natural gas.

Consistent with the advice of experts at Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator we know generation from natural gas plays a key role as a flexible, adaptable source of electricity for our grid that can respond quickly to periods of heightened demand. 

By maintaining this reliability and affordability we are enabling electrification in other sectors like transportation and industry, resulting in a net reduction in emissions.

Ontario’s electricity system will continue to be one of the cleanest in the world, while also providing the reliable and affordable electricity necessary to attract new investments and continue our strong economic growth.

Ontario Expanding Energy Efficiency to Help Families and Businesses Keep Costs Down

As stated above, the government is increasing funding for the province’s energy-efficiency programs by $342 million, bringing the total budget to $1 billion over the four-year framework.

This funding will support new and expanded programs that will help families and businesses reduce their electricity use so they can save money on their energy bills, while at the same time helping to meet the province’s emerging electricity system needs.

We are building a system that will support our growing economy and the electrification of transportation and heavy industry.

That’s why in April of 2022, Minister Smith directed the IESO to report back to him with options for expanded cost-effective energy efficiency programming. Today he accepted their recommendations.

This expansion will help deliver annual energy savings of 1,138 gigawatt hours, enough to power approximately 130,000 homes for a year, and reduce system costs by over $650 million – that means keeping costs down for all ratepayers.

We are going to continue to keep costs down for families and businesses and meet the needs of our growing and increasingly electrified economy.

Learn More: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1002373/ontario-building-more-electricity-generation-and-storage-to-meet-growing-demand