Å·²©ÓéÀÖ

Nuclear fall-out: Ontario's supply dilemma in a decarbonizing world

Download
Nuclear fall-out: Ontario's supply dilemma in a decarbonizing world

Local distribution companies and generators in Ontario must address tectonic shifts in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ province’s power sector during Å·²©ÓéÀÖ next decade. By 2025, a quarter of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ installed nuclear capacity in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ province will retire, with additional units cycling on and offline for refurbishment in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ next 15 years. Many factors may leave Å·²©ÓéÀÖ province short on options to meet electricity demand, including Å·²©ÓéÀÖ province’s cap-and-trade program, developing federal CO2 initiatives, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ recently suspended large renewable procurements, and potential demand growth due to carbon policy-driven electrification.

Building a solid foundation for this unprecedented portfolio of challenges requires integrated and holistic resource planning and policy incentives that feature large-scale deployment of emerging technologies such as flexible demand response, renewable grid- and distributed-generation, and storage. The supply cushion Å·²©ÓéÀÖ province has been accustomed to during Å·²©ÓéÀÖ last decade, accommodated by demand decline, bears Å·²©ÓéÀÖ risk of lulling companies and regulators into a false sense of security and inaction. The first nuclear refurbishments are under way and a carbon price, along with carbon policy measures funded by cap-and-trade regulation, start in just a month. The time is now to start a conversation between all stakeholders and to build a sustainable strategy for an increasingly decarbonizing Ontario.

Download your copy of this whitepaper to learn more.

File Under