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Author Archives: energyprbe
Coal station phase-out 'bad science'
Ontario’s plan to phase out coal-fired generating plants by 2007 is based on bad science, a report released yesterday states.
The study, commissioned by conservative think-tank the Fraser Institute, urges the government to abandon its coal decision, which author Kenneth Green says was made in a "hasty and unexamined" way.
Liberals sneak in hydro hikes: NDP
Announcement coming on day of federal budget
Ontario energy minister set to reveal new prices
The Ontario government is trying to sneak through an electricity rate increase today while attention is on the federal budget, critics charged yesterday.
Electricity hiked for Ontario industries, homeowners to get rebates
Toronto: Residential electricity users in Ontario can expect rebates of $50 to $100 a household this spring, Energy Minister Dwight Duncan announced Wednesday as he hiked the cost of hydro for large, industrial customers.
"Small consumers, farms, small businesses can expect, as of today, approximately a $300-million rebate," he said.
Power prices nudging higher
Ontario’s Liberal government has given the price of electricity a gentle nudge that will moderate expected price increases for large industrial power users, but pump up revenues for Ontario Power Generation Inc.
The government’s help in keeping a drag on power prices was gratefully acknowledged by chief executives of two of the province’s biggest power users – Inco Ltd. and Dofasco Inc. However, power prices for big industrial users are still likely to rise about 12 per cent in the coming year, according to government estimates.
Report warns about electricity crunch
Canada has enough electricity to meet demand for the time being, but even power-rich Quebec and British Columbia face potential problems down the road, Toronto-Dominion Bank says.
In fact, like most other regions across the country, Quebec and B.C. have already experienced a deterioration in supply-demand positions in recent years as shown by a combination of declining power exports, rising imports and dropping reserve margins, TD said yesterday in a report on electricity in Canada.
New hydro sites approved
Ontario has opened 18 potential hydroelectric sites for bids from companies that want to develop them, says Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay.
If developed, the sites should yield an additional 200 to 300 megawatts of total generating capacity, most of it in Northern Ontario, Ramsay said.
Ontario is desperately searching for ways to generate more power, as consumption has been rising at a rate of about 1.5 per cent a year while the province’s fleet of generators is showing its age.
Aging power lines are a danger to public, Energy Probe warns
Ontario’s electricity transmission wires are more than half a century old and "appear to present a danger to public safety," says a report prepared by watchdog group Energy Probe.
"There is now a significant risk of prolonged customer blackouts in the event of severe weather," it warns.
Power bills rise $3-$4 April 1, more on way
It’s not an April Fool’s joke – starting April 1, the average homeowner will be charged about $3 to $4 a month more for electricity. The rate increase was calculated by the Ontario Energy Board. The energy board announced Monday that, as of April, householders will pay five cents a kilowatt hour for the first 750 kilowatt hours of power they use each month, and 5.8 cents for all other power.
Residential electricity rates jump today
Toronto: Flicking on the light switch in Ontario is going to cost more starting today, when electricity rates for residential users rise as much as 10 per cent. Consumers should expect prices to continue going up, said Tom Adams, executive director of Energy Probe.
"That’s quite certain," Adams said. "The only uncertainty is how high will it go."
Downed reactors spark power crunch
A series of breakdowns at Bruce Power’s nuclear reactors contributed to a power emergency yesterday that forced officials to reduce voltage across the system and to import emergency power.
Critics said the outages show the power grid is fragile, but Energy Minister Dwight Duncan dismissed the fears.
Energy Probe 