Bill Carroll chats with Stephen Lecce, Ontario Minister of Energy and Electrification, about the Ford government looking to build three new power plants.
Minister Lecce states that when considering new energy options the government should be "technology agnostic".
Listen now (about 11 minutes):
Bill Carroll is joined by the Ontario Minister of Energy and Electrification Stephen Lecce to talk about how Ontario is aiming to become an energy superpower.
Listen now (about 11 minutes):
To: The Honourable Stephen Lecce
From: Mark MacGowan, on behalf of the Alliance to Protect West Carleton
October 10, 2024
Minister Lecce,
A Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) has been proposed adjacent to the villages of Fitzroy Harbour and Galetta in the rural West Carleton area of the City of Ottawa by Evolugen, a subsidiary of Brookfield Renewables. The original IESO RFP process had the proponents reach out to the City of Ottawa for a Municipal Support Resolution (MSR), and that resolution was denied by the City of Ottawa in November 2023. Despite this, the proponents persisted with their application to the IESO. The Evolugen Fitzroy BESS was subsequently approved by the IESO with the provision that an MSR be acquired within 18 months plus 60 days.
The rural community surrounding the proposed site has spoken loud and clear: we do not want this facility in our community. As of August 11, 2024, a petition to deny an MSR for the Fitzroy BESS has been signed by over 630 local residents. How many times must a project be denied an MSR before the IESO accepts that the project does not have community support?
A letter from your predecessor, The Honourable Todd Smith, states the Ontario government position that, “Support from local communities is vital to new-build energy projects,” and “it is Todd Smith’s expectation that the IESO will be clear about requirements for a resolution from municipal council.”
As we submit our petition to the City of Ottawa Council, we ask you to please reconfirm the provincial government’s position that you will not approve proposals in communities that do not support them.
How do we stop this unwanted intrusion, and ensure that Evolugen BESS facilities are only built in communities more suitable and welcoming to this type of project?
We appreciate your guidance and support.
Best regards,
Mark MacGowan,
On Behalf of the Alliance to Protect West Carleton
To: Alliance to Protect West Carleton
From: Ministry of Energy
October 22, 2024
Thank you for taking the time to reach out to the Honourable Minister Stephen Lecce regarding your concerns around the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)’s competitive procurement process for electricity resources. I am pleased to respond.
After more than a decade of stable electricity supply, and at times a surplus, in 2022 the IESO forecasted that Ontario will see a need for new electricity capacity resources beginning in 2025. To address this forecasted need, the then Minister of Energy issued a directive to the IESO in 2022 to procure approximately 4,000 MW of new capacity.
The IESO’s recent procurement initiatives, including the first Long-Term Procurement (LT1), have successfully procured almost 3,000 MW of new battery storage and 1,000 MW of natural gas generation. These resources are forecasted to meet our electricity needs through the end of the decade.
Our government remains committed to our firm position that no project from an IESO procurement will be built without a supportive municipal council resolution. If a proponent is unable to obtain municipal support, in accordance with the IESO contract, then the LT1 contract will be terminated and the project will not be built.
The IESO and Province are currently planning the second Long-Term Procurement (LT2). LT2 is a proposed competitive procurement, to launch by the end of the year, for new energy and capacity resources that can enter service as early as 2029. Building on our commitment for local support, the LT2 procurement will require proponents to obtain a municipal support resolution by the time of bid submission.
Thank you again for writing and sharing your thoughts on the upcoming procurements.
Tim Christie, P.Eng.
Director
Electricity Policy, Economics and System Planning Branch
Copyright © 2024
Alliance to Protect West Carleton
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