Ontario’s Green Energy Future Is Being Decided in Public Hearings

Hearings are now underway to determine the fate of Ontario's Electricity Future

The Ontario Energy Board is conducting formal hearings on the province's proposed 20 year electricity plan to determine if it is a cost-effective and prudent strategy.

Will Ontario's electricity be powered mainly by nuclear energy and fossil fuels or will the Ontario Energy Board rule in favour of renewable energy and other green sources?

Renewable is Doable groups are at the hearings this fall presenting evidence in favour of a greener, more sustainable energy future.

Our submissions are below.

 

Summary of Evidence

 

Full Reports

Resource Portfolios: Development, Integration and Evaluation

This report identifies five major flaws in the Ontario Power Authority’s (OPA) planning model and advances alternative green resource portfolios that would meet the terms of the government's directive at lower financial and environmental cost, and with less risk. The green resource portfolios proposed include a greater emphasis on energy efficiency, renewable energy such as wind and solar power, and Combined Heat and Power. They require no new nuclear resources, and would have lower greenhouse gas emissions than the OPA’s proposed plan.

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Overnight Costs of New Nuclear Reactors

This report assesses recent cost estimates for new nuclear plants from utilities and investment firms and concludes that that $5000/kW is a reasonable overnight cost, which is double what the number used to compare nuclear costs with other options, including renewable energy.

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Shifting to Renewable Generation: Planning Recommendations for Ontario

The development of the Integrated Power System Plan presents Ontario with an unprecedented opportunity to switch from an energy system based on polluting, risky, finite, and in the long run, expensive, fuels, to an energy system that relies on clean, safe, emission-free, abundantly available and cost decreasing, renewable energy sources.

The OPA plan, if accepted, will miss this opportunity through its adherence to an outdated centralized system and its limited understanding of alternative energy systems.

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Optimizing the Conservation and Demand Management Resources in Ontario

This report assessed the true potential for conservation and energy efficiency in Ontario, which is far above what the Ontario Power Authority has planned. If not corrected, the Plan's failure to secure all cost-effective conservation opportunities will increase future costs, risks, and harmful environmental impacts.

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The Role of Recycled Energy and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) in Ontario's Electricity Future

The proposed IPSP has failed to identify and promote the least cost/lowest pollution approach to providing Ontario's heat and power, because OPA has not made any attempt to identify the market for Combined Heat and Power (estimated here at 11,400 MW), has ignored the waste energy recycling potential, and has offered no programs that would test either market. In summary, the IPSP:

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Review of Ontario Load Forecast in the Integrated Power System Plan

This report examines the flaws in long range forecasting of electricity demand which lead to failed planning. The great power system expansion plans put forward by Ontario Hydro in the mid-1970's and then again in the late 1980's never materialized because they were based on forecasts that turned out to be so far off the mark that none of the dozens of power plants proposed in those earlier efforts was ever built. This report presents similar flaws with current forecasts.

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Cost Implications of Residual Radiological Risk of Nuclear Generation of Electricity in Ontario

This report addresses the cost implications of the residual radiological risk posed by nuclear generation. "Radiological risk" refers to the potential for, and consequences of, unplanned releases of radioactive material to the environment or within a nuclear facility. "Residual" refers to the risk remaining after implementation of regulations regarding the safety and security of nuclear facilities.

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Storage Options in Planning

Energy storage systems enable greater amounts of intermittent generation from wind and solar power which can help Ontario transition from a polluting, high risk central generation model to a more decentralized, resilient, renewable system.

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An Analysis of the Ontario Power Authority's Consideration of Environmental Sustainability in Electricity System Planning

Ontario Regulation 277/06 requires the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) to ensure due consideration of environmental sustainability in the development of the Integrated Power System Plan. This report assesses the sustainability of the IPSP based on the OPA's own sustainability framework.

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Other Reports of Interest