McGuinty Government Supports Reliable Energy Supply, Creates Jobs
The York Energy Centre is on track to provide a reliable energy supply for York Region with a target for commercial operation by mid 2012.
The province has approved a regulation that streamlines land use planning approvals by exempting the facility from the Planning Act. This exemption is needed to allow the development of new, clean-burning natural gas-generated electricity in an area of rapid growth. Supply in York Region is insufficient to meet the energy needs of a region where demand has been forecast to grow by three times the provincial average.
The York Energy Centre will run about 10 per cent of the time to provide on-demand power mostly during peak times, to help meet periods of high energy demand.
The project completed the environmental assessment requirement and received Ministry of Environment approval for an electricity project of this type.
Developing the York Energy Centre would create up to 200 jobs during peak construction and is an important part of the Open Ontario plan to ensure a sustainable supply of reliable energy for this rapidly growing region.
The Toronto Star is reporting"A coalition of farmers, residents and green activists are suing the provincial government for shoving through a gas-fired power plant next to the Holland Marsh."
The article makes mention of the proposed Oakville generation plant.
One of North America’s largest natural gas power plants proposed to go within 320 metres of a school
TORONTO, December 10 – As world leaders and environmental experts meet at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this week, Oakville group Citizens for Clean Air (C4CA) is urging fellow Ontarians and government policy makers to think locally, and reconsider the proposed placement of a private natural gas power plant to be built by TransCanada Energy. The targeted location is startlingly close to schools and homes.
The 900-megawatt natural gas power plant – one of the largest of its kind in North America – is proposed to go up on a site at the edge of Oakville’s Ford Assembly Plant, an area that is only 320 metres from the nearby Chisholm school and about 400 metres from homes. In fact, there are over 16 schools and 11,000 homes in a three-kilometer radius of the proposed location, situated near the QEW and Royal Windsor Drive.
At the heart of the problem, according to C4CA, is the specific location of the plant that came to be by a flawed process. C4CA believes that the RFP process of the Ontario Power Authority closed the door to considering better alternatives, gave insufficient consideration to socio-economic impacts, and did not allow for reasonable timelines and meaningful community input. The position of C4CA was validated by a December 4th ruling of the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) upholding an interim control bylaw issued by the Town of Oakville to allow more time to assess the impact of this proposed power plant. TransCanada and Ford of Canada unsuccessfully tried to have the bylaw struck down.
“It’s encouraging to see good common sense brought to the situation,” said Susan Hyatt, spokesperson for C4CA. “The OMB hearing was the first time an independent third party, acting separately from the Ontario Government or TransCanada, was able to look at this proposed location and power plant, and look what happens – they agreed that there are significant issues that need more time for review.” Among the checkered processes highlighted by C4CA is the questionable mandate from the Ontario Power Authority to build at the Ford plant; followed by an owner/operator self-assessment process that allows such a massive power plant to go ahead based only on an operator’s own environmental review. This is in contrast to an individual environmental assessment, which would involve proper direction and decision-making by the Ministry of the Environment.
Added Hyatt: “Simply put, having a power plant like this squeezed so close to a heavily populated community is not only very unusual and risky, it makes no logical sense. Leaving aside the many emissions issues, from a safety perspective look no further than to last year’s explosion at Sunrise Propane to know that industrial plants situated next to established residential neighbourhoods do not mix. Current regulations would prevent even a single wind turbine from being constructed at this proposed location, but the same government is proposing to allow a huge 900-megawatt power plant at the site.”
Added Doug MacKenzie, C4CA President: “Ontario’s coal phase-out program is Canada’s largest climate change initiative. If the Ontario government supports this site, in the coming years it can be expected that natural gas power plants may well go up in communities right next to homes and schools across the province.”
The OMB ruling this week is encouraging in a number of respects. In the view of C4CA, it clearly confirms the role that municipalities need to play in protecting the public interest and takes note of the questionable timelines and process that have been followed by the proponents of this project. The process is flawed; Ontarians need to work together to ensure there is a logical, proper evaluation of where these plants are going. While this plant may appear to be Oakville’s problem, the precedent being set could lead to problems for everyone.
TORONTO, Sept. 30 - The Ontario Power Authority announced today it will sign a contract with TransCanada Corporation to design, build and operate a 900 megawatt (MW) electricity generating station in Oakville to provide a new, cleaner source of electricity for the growing southwest Greater Toronto Area. This new natural gas power plant will maintain local supply reliability and replace the coal-fired Lakeview generating station, helping Ontario become the first jurisdiction in the world to eliminate dirty coal from its electricity generation mix.
The new power plant will operate during peak periods and be up and running by Dec. 31, 2013. Emission standards for the new plant are 70 percent stricter than what is currently required by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. TransCanada will meet or exceed these standards, through the use of gas turbines that are among the most efficient available.
CALGARY, Alberta – September 30, 2009 – The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has advised TransCanada Corporation (TSX, NYSE: TRP) (TransCanada) it has been awarded a 20-year Clean Energy Supply Contract to build, own and operate the 900 megawatt (MW) Oakville Generating Station (OGS) in Oakville, Ontario. TransCanada expects to invest approximately $1.2 billion in the natural gas fired combined cycle plant which is scheduled to start producing power by the end of 2013.
“We look forward to providing additional electricity supply and reliability within this key North American market,” said Hal Kvisle, TransCanada’s chief executive officer. “This facility strengthens our presence as the largest private sector power company in Ontario and Canada. The Oakville generating station is a strong fit with our strategy of developing large scale energy infrastructure projects that will produce stable, long-term returns for our shareholders.”
TransCanada’s bid for the OGS was submitted in response to the OPA’s Southwest Greater Toronto Area Request for Proposals (SW GTA RFP). According to the OPA, the OGS will help meet critical energy and stability needs in the area. The plant will provide the reliability required to support Ontario’s growing renewable energy electricity production such as wind and solar and contribute toward replacing coal-fired generation.
Approximately 600 construction jobs will be created during the construction period of about 28 months. There will also be significant local spending on goods and services including food, lodging and supplies during construction and throughout the operating life of the plant. Additionally, approximately 25 permanent jobs will be created. The generating station is expected to be completed at the end of 2013.
Next steps involve completing an Environmental Review Report which will be made available for public review and comment in the fall. Emissions from OGS will meet or better all environmental regulatory standards. TransCanada must receive approval from the Ministry of the Environment on impacts such as air quality and noise before construction of the facility can proceed. Local community input is very important and extensive consultations will continue with stakeholders.
The OGS will be located on private, industrial land in the town of Oakville on Royal Windsor Drive, situated just east of the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) and will provide reliable, clean power to help meet the specific needs of the area.
TransCanada will work with the OPA to finalize the contract by mid-October 2009.
With more than 50 years’ experience, TransCanada is a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure including natural gas pipelines, power generation, gas storage facilities, and projects related to oil pipelines. TransCanada’s network of wholly owned pipelines extends more than 59,000 kilometres (36,500 miles), tapping into virtually all major gas supply basins in North America. TransCanada is one of the continent’s largest providers of gas storage and related services with approximately 370 billion cubic feet of storage capacity. A growing independent power producer, TransCanada owns, or has interests in, over 10,900 megawatts of power generation in Canada and the United States. TransCanada’s common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. For more information visit: www.transcanada.com
