Conservation

2011 saveONenergy Pledge Campaign coming this July

Planning for the 2011 conservation awareness campaign is well under way and on target to launch in mid-July.

This year’s campaign is called “My saveONenergy Pledge” and is designed to encourage pledgers to learn more about the saveONenergy province-wide suite of programs. The Pledge campaign will also provide an additional tool to help local distribution companies achieve their conservation targets.

Through the campaign, Ontarians will be able to learn about and commit to taking simple but meaningful conservation actions to help them manage their electricity consumption.

Stay tuned for more information about the campaign and how to register in July.

Click here to learn more about the opportunities available through the saveONenergy programs for consumers to help manage the amount of energy you use in your home.

Click here to learn more about the saveONenergy programs that can assist businesses to become more energy efficient.

Conservation programs well under way

There is continued progress with the roll-out of the 2011-2014 conservation programs for consumers and businesses across the province.

As of June 28, 76 local distribution companies had signed master agreements with the OPA for the delivery of the consumer and business saveONenergy programs.

More than 99 percent of electricity customers across Ontario can now take advantage of these programs.

Click here to learn more about the opportunities available through the saveONenergy programs for consumers that can help you manage the amount of energy you use in your home.

Click here to learn more about the saveONenergy programs that can assist businesses become more energy efficient.

Electricity Resources

Final request for proposal and draft contract posted for Combined Heat and Power IV procurement

The OPA has posted the final request for proposal (RFP) for approximately 300 megawatts (MW) of combined heat and power generation in Ontario and a revised draft contract. A final contract is expected by mid to late July.

The list of eligible locations has also been expanded and an evaluated cost model is now available online.

The Combined Heat and Power (CHP IV) procurement is being developed to support efficient use of natural gas-fired electricity generating facilities that use CHP technology.

The goal of CHP IV is to facilitate increased development of CHP facilities greater than 20 MW in capacity that affect supply or demand on the interconnected electricity grid in Ontario by delivering firm and reliable supply to the IESO-controlled grid or a local distribution company.

Click here to learn more about the CHP IV procurement and to view the RFP and revised draft contract.

 
Amendments made to the Combined Heat and Power Standard Offer Program rules and to the Energy Recovery Standard Offer Program rules

The OPA has posted amendments to the Combined Heat and Power Standard Offer Program (CHPSOP) rules and to the Energy Recovery Standard Offer Program (ERSOP) rules.

The amendments will allow submission of applications for the second tranche of CHPSOP and ERSOP beginning after the end of the launch period. These amendments do not affect applications submitted during the launch period, which ends June 30, 2011.

Second-tranche applications for projects located anywhere in the province may be submitted from July 1 until August 31, 2011, at 5 p.m.

These applications will be subject to the same prioritization mechanisms as launch applications, which are described in the CHPSOP rules and ERSOP rules.

In addition to the rules amendments, the OPA has also posted updated CHPSOP and ERSOP contracts.

The OPA has developed CHPSOP to support efficient use of natural gas-fired electricity generating facilities that use CHP technology. And the goal of CHPSOP is to facilitate increased development of CHP facilities to a maximum capacity of 20 megawatts (MW), connected to a distribution system, and in an area where such generation can be effectively accommodated.

The OPA has developed ERSOP to support efficient generation of electricity from recovery of otherwise wasted energy sources, such as unutilized by-products that can be used as fuels. And the goal of the ERSOP is to facilitate increased development of energy recovery facilities up to a maximum capacity of 20 MW, connected to a distribution system, and in an area where such generation can be effectively accommodated.

Click here for more information about the CHPSOP amendments and updated contract.

Click here for more information about the ERSOP amendments and updated contract.

 
Allocating capacity and offering FIT contracts for Bruce-to-Milton enabled projects

As outlined in the province’s Long-Term Energy Plan, the recently completed Bruce-to-Milton transmission project will allow the OPA to offer contracts for renewable energy projects under the Feed-in Tariff Program. And earlier this month, the OPA outlined the process to offer over 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy contracts.

Contracts will be offered for up to 750 megawatts in the Bruce transmission area and up to 300 megawatts in the west of London transmission area.

Eligible proponents were given five business days – between June 6 and June 10 – to change their connection points.

Contracts will be offered based on transmission capacity availability and the priority project ranking in both of the eligible transmission areas.

The OPA held a web-enabled teleconference in June to provide information and answer questions on the assessment and the contract offer process. An archive of the session’s audio and presentation files are available on the FIT website as well as a Q&A document that addresses technical and frequently asked questions.

Click here for more information and to access the teleconference archive.

 
Integrated Power System Plan consultation process continues

Consultations are continuing on the Integrated Power System Plan (IPSP).

In May, the OPA held four consultation sessions – in-person and via webinar. An audio archive of these sessions, summaries and the slides is available on the OPA website.

The OPA also started consultation sessions with First Nation and Métis communities. Three sessions have taken place so far in Toronto, Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with other sessions to follow.

More information about the additional sessions will be provided directly to these communities as they are scheduled.

As part of the consultation process, the OPA also sought feedback on the development of the IPSP via written submissions. The deadline to submit this feedback was June 17.

Work will continue over the summer on the preparation of evidence for the IPSP submission to the Ontario Energy Board.

Click here to learn more about the IPSP consultation process. 

 
Phase 3 Capacity Allocation Exempt FIT contracts announced

In May, OPA began offering more than 800 new Capacity Allocation Exempt FIT contracts, representing more than 140 megawatts of renewable energy under the FIT Program.

These applications were submitted between June 5 and December 7, 2010, for projects sized between 10 and 500 kilowatts. They represent enough energy to power more than 18,700 homes.

While most of the contract offers are for solar projects, also included are one water, two biomass, eight biogas and one small wind project.

These contracts represent the third round of Capacity Allocation Exempt FIT contracts to be offered.  The first round was in March 2010, and the second round was offered during the summer through to fall 2010.

Click here to learn more. 

Corporate News

OPA receives 2011 ENERGY STAR^® Market Transformation Award

The OPA has received the ENERGY STAR Advocate of the Year Award.

The awards were unveiled by the Government of Canada on June 1.

The OPA has been an ENERGY STAR program participant and champion since 2006. The honour recognizes OPA’s commitment to improving consumer uptake of energy-efficient products through its programs, including the Power Savings Event; Cool Savings Rebate; Great Refrigerator Roundup; and the saveONenergy FOR HOME province-wide program. For each of these programs, ENERGY STAR was chosen as the minimum threshold for applicable equipment and selected measures.

The ENERGY STAR Market Transformation awards are issued annually by Natural Resources Canada to recognize companies and organizations that have raised the bar in offering Canadian consumers the most energy-efficient product, technology or service available on the market.

In total, 10 organizations were celebrated for their excellence in promoting ENERGY STAR qualified products in Canada.

Click here to learn more.

First quarter electricity supply report available

The OPA's progress report on electricity supply for the first quarter of 2011 is now available.

The report is prepared quarterly to provide updates on the electricity supply contracts and programs currently managed by the Ontario Power Authority.

As of the end of the first quarter 2011, the OPA had 18,252 megawatts (MW) of electricity supply capacity, based on average contract capacity, under contract. This includes 7,317 MW of renewable energy, 7,935 MW of clean energy, and 3,000 MW of nuclear energy.

Within this 18,252 MW of supply capacity, 4,710 MW were procured from existing generating facilities, which required minimal or no new capital investment. The remaining capacity, 13,542 MW, was procured from new development, expansion, redevelopment or refurbishment of existing facilities.

This represents more than $27 billion of new capital investment in generation in the Ontario electricity system since 2005.

Click here to view the report.

OPA revenue requirement submission completed

The OPA has completed its revenue requirement case with the submission to the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) of its reply argument on June 6.

In the document, the OPA replied to arguments from the 13 intervenors and Board staff that made submissions to the OEB on the case.

Intervenors raised a range of issues, including issues related to OPA plans for conservation; conservation program design; budgeting processes; the FIT Program; and the proposal to collect OPA fees from export customers and domestic customers.

The OPA awaits the final decision by the OEB.

Click here for more information about the OPA’s application.

Executive speeches and presentations

Colin Andersen, Chief Executive Officer, spoke at the Combined Conference of International District Energy Association and Canadian District Energy Association Toronto on June 27.

Click here to view this and other speeches and presentations.

Industry News

Volume One of the Annual Energy Conservation Progress Report – 2010 submitted

The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario has urged the government to expand critical peak pricing to other smaller volume consumers to encourage conservation.

The recommendation is one of several contained in Volume One of the Annual Energy Conservation Progress Report – 2010, which has been submitted to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

The report provides an independent review of the Ontario government’s progress in conserving energy and is issued in two separate documents.

The first volume covers the broader policy framework affecting energy conservation in Ontario. The second volume will describe initiatives under way, assess energy savings derived from these initiatives and measure progress on meeting targets. The second volume will be released in the Fall.

Under the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario reports annually to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on the province’s progress in energy conservation.

Click here to view Volume One of the report.

No new reliability or adequacy concerns for Ontario's power system

The period from June 2011 to November 2012 poses no new reliability or adequacy concerns for Ontario's power system, said the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) in its latest 18-Month Outlook.

More than 2,500 megawatts (MW) of new and refurbished generation is expected to be connected to Ontario's bulk power system over the next 18 months.

This new grid-connected wind supply comprises 500 MW contracted under the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program and 200 MW from the Renewable Energy Supply III Program, which brings Ontario's total renewable portfolio to 2,000 MW on the IESO-connected grid and 2,700 MW on the distribution system.

In the meantime, two units at Nanticoke will be shut down by December 31, 2011, reducing the installed capacity of coal-fired generation by 980 MW to 3,504 MW.

The next 18 months will see demand for electricity influenced by two opposing factors. Economic and population growth will push demand higher, while conservation programs and embedded generation will offset these expected increases. Overall energy consumption is expected to grow by 0.5 percent in 2011 and 1.9 percent in 2012.

The 18-Month Outlook is issued on a quarterly basis and can be accesed by clicking here.