Ontario Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure Replies to Queries re. Long Term Energy Plan

This evening, Parker Gallant and I received a reply to our questions to the Ministry on the Long Term Energy Plan issued last week. Our original questions are posted here. The text body of the reply is provided below complete and unedited:. Be sure to check out the last line.

Hello Tom and Parker ““

Thank you for your questions.  We appreciate your interest.  Among the questions forwarded, you asked about the supply mix directive and public review process.

On November 23, 2010, a draft supply mix directive to the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) was posted on the Environmental Registry at:  http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/searchNotice.do?menuIndex=1_2&searchType=splash. As the site indicates, this proposed directive has been posted for a 45-day public review and comment period starting November 23, 2010. If you have any questions about the directive, or would like to submit comments, please do so by January 07, 2011 to the attention of Andrea Stoiko (her coordinates appear on the EBR posting).

Following the 45-day consultation period, the ministry will finalize the supply mix directive and seek Cabinet approval. Once approved, the supply mix directive will be issued to the OPA and the OPA will begin to develop the detailed plan.  During this phase, the OPA will consult with stakeholders and will be required to fulfill the procedural aspects of the Crown’s duty to consult. Once consultations are completed, the OPA will submit the proposed detailed plan to the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) for review. The review process will include interrogatories from intervenors and public hearings.

Your detailed questions would be more appropriately submitted as interrogatories during the plan review process at the Ontario Energy Board.

For your reference, in addition to the draft supply mix directive, the following directives were issued, also on November 23, 2010 to pave the way for Ontario’s Long-Term Energy Plan.  They enable Ontario’s energy agencies to implement the initiatives the Ontario government is introducing to modernize our electricity system and ensure Ontario families have clean, reliable and cost-effective power now and into the future.

November 23, 2010 Directive To OPA To Negotiate New Contracts with Non-Utility Generators – The OPA will pursue new contracts for non-utility generators that can deliver cost and reliability benefits to Ontario electricity consumers.

November 23, 2010 Directive to OPA to Procure Combined Heat and Power – The OPA has been directed to procure a total of 1,000 MW of combined heat and power projects.  These procurements are limited to cost-effective projects where local distribution is available.

November 23, 2010 Directive to Ontario Energy Board (OEB) – Smart Grid Implementation – The OEB is directed to take steps towards the establishment, implementation and promotion of the Smart Grid, guided by system efficiency, customer value, interoperability, security privacy, safety, economic development, environmental benefits and reliability. Ontario’s smart grid objectives are increased conservation, distributed generation through renewable sources, and flexibility, and efficiency of the electricity grid.

I hope this information is helpful to you.  The Long-Term Energy Plan itself contains answers to many of your questions.

One Comment

  1. Yikes – that’s pretty much how I commented on this site, and on WCO. I agreed with Tyler Hamilton on a nuclear point the other day too.

    On the slim chance my ability to channel the government doesn’t indicate I’ve left reality, here’s my questions on the directives sent under cover of the Long Term Energy Plan’s release.

    Is the CHP for Toronto, to continue to fight a third line? How does CHP make financial sense in a jurisdiction where peak demand for electricity is in the summer?
    Why extend the contract of the aging NUG suppliers prior to having established a plan? Don’t you need a plan to know what is relevant to it?

    Smart grid – okay I didn’t follow the directive at all.
    Grids are not smart.
    People are.
    But not people who continue to boost delivery charges, and escalate line loss factors, to pay for technology tagged as ‘smart’

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