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Getting Zapped: Ontario electricity prices increasing faster than anywhere else
Read Our Report On Wind Subsidies in Ontario
Category Archives: Reforming Ontario’s Electrical Generation Sector
Residents fuming over proposed neighbourhood generator
Residents and politicians are fuming over the province’s plans to put temporary diesel-powered generators in Ontario neighbourhoods to help produce enough electricity to meet demand.
The corner of Finch Ave. E. and Leslie St. is among a half-dozen sites where a collection of tractor trailer-sized generators could be turned on during peak demand periods when Ontarians crank up air conditioners during the summer’s hottest days. Others include sites at the corner of Kipling Ave. and Dundas Ave. and in Etobicoke, Scarborough, London and Ottawa.
Energy Probe warns of energy crisis
Enjoy those low hydro prices now. According to Energy-Probe executive director Thomas Adams, these artificially low prices are one ingredient of an eventual disaster.
Energy Probe — a charitable organization that promotes resource conservation, environmental sus-tainability, democratic decision making and economic efficiency in Canada’s energy sector — sees a disheartening number of parallels between Ontario’s situation and the power crisis in California several years ago.
Worse to come in Ontario as dollar, power costs soar
Scary things are happening in Ontario, and it’s not just the new SARS outbreak. Last week, DaimlerChrysler abandoned plans to build a $1.6-billion pickup truck assembly plant in Windsor. That was the big headline.
There were smaller ones, largely unnoticed. Domtar closed a sawmill in White River, putting almost 200 workers on the dole. In struggling Northern Ontario, that’s close to a catastrophe. Forestry, mining and steel companies are hurting across the province and layoffs are bound to accelerate.
Hydro cap hits $600M
While electricity prices averaging 4.5 cents per kilowatt hour in May were significantly below what they have been, they were still above the frozen rate of 4.3 cents put in place by the provincial government last fall in the face of public fury over soaring power bills.
Ontario power grid faces trial by fire
Ontario can expect another long, anxious summer of watching the electricity system get stretched to the limit until several laid-up nuclear reactors return to service, says the agency that runs the province’s power grid.
"Until the nuclear units return to service, Ontario faces a summer supply situation similar to the one experienced last year," says the Independent Electricity Market Operator (IMO) in the latest revision of its 18-month forecast.
And the report has more bad news for the troubled Pickering A nuclear station.
Ontario faces severe energy shortage
TORONTO: Canada’s largest province may not make it through the next few months without some power blackouts, according to an environmental research group.
"We got through last summer by just the skin of our teeth, and this summer looks more serious," says Tom Adams, executive director of Energy Probe [pictured left].
Demand is up while supply is far too low, Adams told CBC Newsworld Thursday.
Blackout Ernie versus your BBQ
"Good news, honey!" I told my husband yesterday. "I’m going out to get some Swiss Chalet for dinner. Premier’s orders." I thought my husband would be thrilled because he is very conservation-minded. Also, he also loves that secret sauce.
Hot, hot power sales for Hydro Ontario bought lots
Temperatures in the 30s and high humidity meant money in the bank for Hydro-Québec this week, as the energy giant cranked up exports to heat-stricken Ontario and the U.S. northeast.
With air conditioners operating full tilt this week, Ontario was pushed to the brink of imposing brownouts or rolling blackouts to contend with surging demand for electricity.
Demand for power exceeded 25,000 megawatts on Thursday, forcing the province to supplement its energy supply with 3,500 megawatts of power bought from outside sources, including Quebec.
Energy Probe's commentary on the NDP's Practical Solutions for Affordable, Reliable Hydro
Howard Hampton and the NDP’s Practical Solutions for Affordable, Reliable Hydro:
- Keep our hydro in public hands. Immediately end hydro privatization and deregulation.
Energy Probe’s commentary: Historically, public ownership has not resulted in public control. The Ontario public has much greater control over Ontario’s publicly regulated and privately owned natural gas distribution utilities.
Energy Probe 