Ontario explores potential new generation sites

Monday, 2 December 2024

Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator has said the province's demand for electricity is forecast to increase by 75% by 2050 - the equivalent of adding four and a half cities the size of Toronto to the grid, the Government of Ontario said. The increase in demand is being driven by Ontario's rapid increase in population, new manufacturing facilities, advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence data centres, the electrification of industry, and the charging energy required for electric vehicles.

"While the province is already on track to meet demands through 2035 with major projects already announced, including Canada's first small modular reactor and the largest competitive energy procurement in Ontario's history, the province will need 16,000 additional megawatts of generation, in addition to new transmission to meet demand in 2050," the government added.

Early community engagement is a critical part of the province's approach to new energy generation. These "early conversations" ( will look at how communities would be supported and potential benefits to them from generation projects, including equity participation for Indigenous communities, funding for municipal host communities to support community infrastructure investments and attraction of co-located industry, additional income from municipal property taxes, and associated jobs and economic development for municipalities and Indigenous communities.

The three sites owned by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) - already Ontario's largest generator - that have been singled out by the government for discussions with Indigenous, community and municipal leaders are at Wesleyville in Port Hope, Nanticoke in Haldimand County and Lambton in St Clair. These sites are already zoned for electricity generation, have proximity to transmission, and are located in Southern Ontario, within regions experiencing significant growth, according to the provincial government.

"As we prepare for the largest expansion of electricity generation in over 30 years, our government is embracing an important opportunity for economic reconciliation among First Nations communities and workers," Ontario Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation Greg Rickford said. "By working together with Ontario Power Generation, we are ensuring that First Nations communities are not just part of the conversation, but active participants in shaping a prosperous, sustainable energy future."

OPG President and CEO Ken Hartwick said the company places "great importance" on relationships with host communities, neighbours, and the Indigenous Nations on whose traditional territory it operates. "We look forward to meeting with municipalities and Nations to understand their perspectives and aspirations for their communities," he said.

Clean and reliable baseload electricity from nuclear and hydroelectricity are prioritised in the government's vision document, Ontario's Affordable Energy Future, released in October. The provincial government is already supporting Bruce Power in pre-development work on the province's first large-scale nuclear build in 30 years, as well as OPG's plans for four small modular reactors at its Darlington site and the refurbishment of the Pickering Nuclear Generation Station, as part of what Minister of Energy and Electrification Stephen Lecce said is Ontario's largest expansion of electricity generation in more than thirty years. "To meet soaring energy demands, we're working with communities to plan ahead and build for our future so that we can generate more power that is reliable and affordable for our families today and tomorrow. Our plan will ensure we keep energy bills down and the power on for generations to come," he said.

About the sites
 

According to information from OPG, the three sites are already zoned for electricity generation, have proximity to transmission, and are located in Southern Ontario within regions where a lot of growth is taking place.

• Wesleyville (Port Hope) covers about 1300 acres, adjacent to Durham Region which hosts Pickering and Darlington nuclear generating stations

• Nanticoke (Haldimand County) is a former coal generating site, part of which is currently used for a solar facility. It has existing transmission connection with capacity, railway, and dock

• Lambton (St Clair Township) is a former coal generating site with access to railway and deepwater dock, and the potential to re-use some existing site features from previous generation

OPG says it is "in the early stages of understanding each community’s willingness to explore energy development in their community or territory". Projects will only be explored if they have a willing host community and Indigenous participation.