Ontario electricity ratepayers could save $12 billion if the province made a deal to import low-cost water power instead of rebuilding aging nuclear reactors.
Every nuclear project in Ontario’s history has gone massively over budget. It has recently been revealed that the initial stages of the Darlington project are already massively over budget and that OPG has gone to great lengths to try to disguise the true cost of the project.
Meanwhile, Quebec has a growing surplus of low-cost water power available for export. In 2017, Quebec offered to supply Ontario with a large amount of power at a cost of just 5 cents per kWh. Compare that to the projected cost of power from rebuilt reactors at the Darlington nuclear station — 16.5 cents per kWh and possibly higher.
If you think Ontario should make a money-saving deal with Quebec, sign our petition!
Quebec has the power:
- Quebec has surplus power available for export during at least 99% of the hours of the year
- Quebec’s power surplus is steadily growing as it finishes a massive new hydro generating project on the Romaine River, continues to develop its massive wind power potential, and finds less demand for its power in the United States, where investments in efficiency and competition from natural gas generation have cut into its market
- Ontario can take full advantage of the power Quebec has available by improving transmission connections at a cost that would be paid back in one year from savings earned by cancelling the Darlington project
- Quebec is interested in making a deal as plans to increase transmission connections to the United States — the only other way it can increase its export power earnings given that its existing connections are maxed out — are going to cost billions of dollars and take many years to complete.
How making a deal with Quebec can save us billions
OCAA Chair Jack Gibbons on the advantages of making a deal with Quebec
Quebec Hydro CEO Eric Martel on Hydro Quebec’s big power and export plans
Looking at the big picture on electricity trade benefits:
- Our Three Options to Reduce Ontario’s Electricity Costs report outlines three ways in which the Ford Government could reduce electricity costs and keep its promise to reduce electricity bills by 12%. We outline how the government could save electricity users anywhere from $1.1 to $5.7 billion per year by importing power from Quebec, increasing efficiency, and closing the Pickering Nuclear Plant.
- Read our report on how making a deal with Quebec can help Ontario meet its climate goals while saving billions: Powering smart action on climate in Ontario.
- Read our backgrounder: The Benefits and Costs of Increased Electricity Trade Between Quebec and Ontario
- View our infographic on the advantages of a deal with Quebec.
- Read our full report on what an electricity deal could mean for both Ontario and Quebec English |Francais
- Read our factsheet on the climate advantages of a deal with Quebec
- Read our factsheet on the power available from Quebec
- Cost comparison of Ontario’s electricity options
- Read our One Year Review of Ontario’s Long Term Energy Plan to learn more about how importing power from Quebec instead of proceeding with nuclear rebuild projects can save us billions.
- How Quebec can benefit by improving energy efficiency and making more low-cost electricity available for export: Higher Profits and Lower Bills: A New Electricity Strategy for Quebec