The Society of United Professionals welcomes Minister of Energy and Electrification Stephen Lecce’s recent announcement that OPG will refurbish 45 units at eight hydroelectric generating stations in Eastern Ontario. These are the Arnprior, Barrett Chute, Mountain Chute, Stewartville, Chats Falls, Chenaux, Des Joachims, and Otto Holden stations.
“Ontario’s hydroelectric generating stations are important sources of clean energy and play a vital role in powering Ontario’s electricity grid,” said Society President Michelle Johnston.
Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is investing $1 billion into the eight-station refurbishment, which is expected to lead to the production of an additional 100-gigawatt hours of electricity annually, according to the province.
“While the Society supports OPG’s required refurbishment of existing hydroelectric units, we encourage the province to collaborate with impacted Indigenous communities to expand OPG’s current hydroelectric fleet with new greenfield hydroelectric projects,” said Joe Fierro, the Society’s OPG Local Vice-President.
The announcement is one in a series of recent statements made by the Ontario government to support the refurbishment of OPG’s hydroelectric stations. In April, then-Minister of Energy Todd Smith announced refurbishments in the Niagara region, including optimization of the Sir Adam Beck Complex. And in May, the government announced that OPG will refurbish 16 units at its R.H. Saunders Generating Station in Cornwall. Society members play a crucial role in planning and executing OPG’s hydroelectric refurbishment projects.
The Society hopes progress can be made in the development of new greenfield projects, including the Little Jackfish River hydroelectric project, in order to expand the province’s production of low-emissions hydroelectric electricity.
Photo credit: "Ontario Power Generation at Night" by theapoc is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
