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The Ontario government's release today of a white paper on electricity restructuring "sets the stage for true competition in electric services, and promises major benefits to consumers," says IPPSO President Tom Brett. "We congratulate the government of Ontario on crafting an excellent statement of policy direction, and for doing the right thing under difficult circumstances," Brett said. By making non-discriminatory access to transmission available to all power producers, the government intends to end Ontario Hydro's 90-year monopoly in Ontario and stimulate competition in the electric power industry. "We are thrilled that the government has taken this initial step to introducing competition. This leadership by the government will lead to new technologies for power generation, savings in power costs for consumers, and reduced air pollution. Ontario is now positioned for a huge leap toward becoming a world leader in the modernization of its electric system."
Competition in electricity will not only benefit the consumer, it will stimulate new investment and create jobs in Ontario, Brett says. "Our members are prepared to make further investments in Ontario once the restrictions are lifted," he says. Without the introduction of competition, Ontario could have been facing power shortages in the near future because Ontario Hydro is closing several nuclear reactors for economic reasons and faces constraints on its plans to burn more fossil fuel and import power from outside the province.
Another positive aspect to this development, Brett says, is that "a competitive market in Ontario will bring with it major environmental improvements. Competition allows for the retirement of Ontario's aging nuclear plants without the need for burning more coal, with all its environmental side-effects." Burning coal is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas, acid rain and smog. Independent power producers generate electricity in many environmentally preferable ways. Competition will almost certainly mean the use of a range of newer, cleaner technologies such as high-efficiency cogeneration, small hydro, landfill gas, biomass, and wind energy.
Brett believes that the government's 2-year timeline to fully implement its plan is "realistic and achieveable." He says "we urge the government not to be dissuaded from this timetable, because any further delay would be costly and entail significant risk to the Province."
With competition, electric rates will be significantly lower than they would have been without competition. The major benefits will be longer term, because of the time required to make electric generation investments and the time for new participants to gain market share.
"IPPSO warmly welcomes this step by the government that we have been anticipating for several years," says IPPSO President Tom Brett. "We are glad that the government has finally started the process of opening up the electricity marketplace to competition. Independent Power Producers, given the opportunity, can supply efficient, cost-effective and environmentally-sound power to meet the needs of the province. We look forward to the implementation of the plan so that we can begin investing in Ontario again, creating jobs and contributing to Ontario's competitiveness."
To learn more about the business reaction to the government's restructuring plans, people concerned with energy policy in Canada are advised to attend the IPPSO conference next Tuesday and Wednesday, November 11 and 12 in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Keynote speakers include Jim Wilson, the Ontario Minister of Energy, the Deputy Minister, the Chair of Ontario Hydro, the President of the Municipal Electric Association, Donald Macdonald, author of the report which sparked the government's white paper, and more than forty other authorities. The conference coincides with the Canadian Independent Power Trade Show and the Canadian Electricity Forum on Cogeneration. This will be the first organized public discussion on the implications of the government's white paper. For more information, contact IPPSO at one of the numbers below.
IPPSO is a non-profit organization representing over 500 individuals and companies involved in independent power production and related efforts such as equipment supply, consulting and environmental work. IPPSO members produce power from cogeneration, small hydro, wind energy, waste wood and other sources.
For further information: Tom Brett, President 613-236-3882 Jake Brooks, Executive Director 416-322-6549 Al Barnstaple, Director 416-224-9569 Bruce Ander, Director 416-667-5724 Jay Shepherd, Counsel 905-629-9035 John Brace, Director 416-962-6262 Marion Fraser, Director 416-363-8011 Jeff Passmore, Senior Vice President 613-566-7005 Independent Power Producers' Society of Ontario (IPPSO) PO Box 1084, Stn. F, Toronto, Ont. M4Y 2T7 tel.: 416-322-6549 fax 416-481-5785 e-mail: ippso@web.net website: http://www.newenergy.org/newenergy/
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Last update: November 6, 1997
URL:http://www.newenergy.org/newenergy/whats_new.html