Queen’s Park to pass new legislation to ram through new hydro corridors: Ottawa Citizen

21 Thursday May 2015

Posted by Ottawa Wind Concerns in Ottawa, Wind power

Tags

Bob Chiarelli, hydro lines Ontario, Hydro One, Hydro Ottawa, IESO, Ontario Energy Board, Ottawa, Quebec power, transmission lines Ontario

Pathways and green space along the Hydro corridor in the Bridlewood area of Kanata.

Hydro corridor in Bridlewood area of Ottawa: millions of dollars’ worth of new power lines needed

Ottawa Citizen May 21

The provincial government is preparing a new law to make it easier to build and expand hydro corridors, with the Ottawa area a prime target.

Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli told a summit of energy companies in Toronto in early May that he’s working on legislation that’s mostly about adjusting the way Ontario’s main regulator for the industry, the Ontario Energy Board, works once the province sells off a majority share in Hydro One, its main transmission utility.

But part of the new law, according to the text of his speech, will “give cabinet enhanced powers to designate key transmission corridors to expedite their construction.”

Chiarelli’s spokesperson Jennifer Beaudry explained by email that the idea is to let the politicians decide what’s “in the public good” and remove a stage where the energy board makes its own determination about whether a transmission project is really needed. The regulator would still go over costs and decide who should pay what share of them, she said.

A key transmission corridor could be one that brings electricity to a remote First Nations reserve, one needed to power northern mines, or one that’s needed for “enhanced intertie capacity with neighbouring jurisdictions to support clean energy import,” the text of Chiarelli’s speech says.

And that means Ottawa, which is a major transfer point for electricity Ontario buys from Quebec’s hydro dams but where our existing wires are nearly maxed out.

“At present the firm import capability that could be relied on for all hours on the Quebec — Ontario interties is quite restricted due to transmission issues in the Ottawa area,” says a report prepared last fall by the Independent Electricity System Operator, the provincial agency that monitors and forecasts the flow of electricity around Ontario.

Lines that run through Ottawa carry power into Ontario both from northern Quebec and from the big Beauharnois dam near Montreal. Electricity doesn’t travel all that well, so a lot of the energy we use here comes from Quebec, especially in the summer.

A shortage of transmission capacity will be a big deal in the North, where the eventual development of Ring of Fire mines and related industries will take a lot of electricity. It could even affect Toronto, which has a lot of heavy-duty power lines around its outskirts but only a webwork of little ones serving its condo-packed downtown. But it’s here that the clock is really ticking.

Within five years, the agency says, there’ll be no capacity to move electricity from Quebec through Ottawa to the rest of the province unless we build hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of new power lines; all the juice we can suck in, we’ll be using locally. At a minimum, keeping the system functioning means replacing existing lines that run past backyards in Kanata and Orléans with heavier-duty ones, a $325-million project that would only keep the power supply in Ottawa stable, not give us any to spare.

The most ambitious scenario the IESO considered would cost more like $2 billion. It’s a list of things we’d have to do if Ontario wants to make a major deal to buy Quebec electricity in quantity. We’d have to do major work on just about all of Ottawa’s high-voltage lines, but especially on the ones that run through Orléans because they mainly carry electricity from an “intertie” with Quebec at a hydro dam in Masson-Angers to Ontario’s main power grid. It would also mean building a new eight-kilometre line through Kanata, connecting transfer stations at South March and Terry Fox.

As Ontario knows well by now, new electricity projects are rarely popular. Usually, they benefit other people more than those who live nearby — a wind farm is good for the company that runs it and for whoever leases or sells the land, and (arguably) for the province as a whole, but not for the neighbours who have to look at it.

Same thing with a hydro corridor. We need high-voltage wires but nobody has yet found a way to make them pretty. Plus the science is pretty compelling that they don’t pose a health risk, but there’s no convincing some people. There’s really no way that high-tension wires carrying Quebec power past your house in Ottawa’s suburbs toward Toronto are a selling point. Which is why the cabinet will want the authority to shove them down people’s throats.

dreevely@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/davidreevely

Where is Ontario getting money for the deficit? Out of your pocket

24 Friday Apr 2015

Posted by Ottawa Wind Concerns in Renewable energy, Wind power

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Bob Chiarelli, hydro rates Ontario, Ontario budget, Ontario deficit, Ontario electricity rates, Ontario Energy Board, Parker Gallant

New rate increase removes $635 million from electricity customers’ pockets

Ontario now has highest electricity bills in Canada

Ontario’s Minister of Energy Bob Chiarelli in a press release of March 26, 2015 announced the end of the Debt Retirement Charge December 31, 2015. In the “Quick Facts” of the release stated: “Removing the Debt Retirement Charge will save the typical residential electricity ratepayer $5.60 per month.”

Less than a month later the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) issued their semi-annual rate setting letter for the upcoming six months of May 1st to November 30^th; it was full of continuing bad news for households and small businesses. The OEB told us effective May 1^st, our electricity bill would increase $5.71 a month. So much for that savings of $5.60 a month!

Written to assuage the reader, the OEB’s letter pretends to be what it isn’t. Rates are going up substantially and while the letter states monthly increases for the “average” consumer will be 4.6% or $5.71 per month, on the Electricity, line the truth is more daunting. The rate increases should be annualized, but they aren’t. If they were, the additional $70 annual increase suggested would be $143.

Off-peak rates are up 6.7% or about four times the inflation rate and the On-peak rate jumps up over 19% per annum.

By increasing on-peak rates by 19%, the OEB suggests the “ratio” shift to 2:1 between on-and off-peak prices “will benefit customers who shift their use to the cheapest time period.” In another document the OEB released they say that about two-thirds of consumption is already in the off-peak period leaving the consumption split between mid and on-peak at 17% each.

So small businesses operating during on-peak periods, seniors living on fixed incomes, people with disabilities, the unemployed, and stay-at-home parents are locked into paying 16.1 cents per kilowatt hour. Those who can least afford high rates are the ones expected to shoulder the burden. This increase will simply add to the 570,000 households Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli admits are currently living in “energy poverty” in Ontario.

If one annualized the rate increases as it applies to “average” households and small businesses, the electricity sector will take approximately $635 million more from ratepayers’ pockets in pre-tax (small businesses) and after-tax dollars (households) in the next 12 months. They will extract $281 million from on-peak, $134 million from mid-peak and $220 million from off-peak consumption from “average” ratepayers based on 4.5 million residential and small business ratepayers.

Ontario can now claim to be the highest cost electricity market in Canada, and rivals all but three or four of the U.S. states such as California, Alaska and Hawaii.

The Liberals can claim we are “green” but that green is supporting foreign investors enjoying the benefits of ratepayer dollars flowing into their pockets for wind and solar contracts obtained from the OPA under the direction of past and present Liberal Ministers of Energy.

Ontario: now “a place to groan.” No shifting of consumption will ease the burden or stop inflation of our electricity bills.

©Parker Gallant, April 21, 2015

The views expressed are those of the author and do not represent Wind Concerns Ontario policy.

Parker’s Calculations

May 2015 electricity consumer prices vs May 2014

Consumption is based on 66% off-peak, 17% mid-peak, 17% on-peak

TOU	Consumption kWh	Rates/kWh/cents	2015 costs $	2014 costs $	Increase $
Off-peak	6,336	8.0	506.88	456.19	50
Mid-peak	1,632	12.2	199.10	169.73	30
On-peak	1,632	16.1	262.75	199.10	63
TOTAL	9,600		968.73	825.02	143

How to get those power bills down: Parker Gallant to Bob Chiarelli

02 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by Ottawa Wind Concerns in Renewable energy, Wind power

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Bob Chiarelli, electricity bills Ontario, electricity prices, Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli, energy poverty, Feed In Tariff program, HOEP, Ontario, Ontario deficit, Ontario economy, Ontario hydro bills, Parker Gallant, wind farms, wind power, wind power contracts

Financial Post, 2015

Parker Gallant, the former banker who several years ago launched FP Comment’s prophetic Ontario’s Power Trip campaign against the province’s expensive and pointless electricity industry reforms, has some new advice for the government. As the price of electricity soars, Ontario industries and consumers are being hammered by rate increases that seem never-ending. In an open letter today to Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli, Mr. Gallant lists a few easy initiatives the government could undertake to stop some of the madness and save consumers billions of dollars. Terence Corcoran

LETTER FROM PARKER GALLANT

April 1, 2015

The Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Energy,

Legislative Building, Queen’s Park, Toronto ON, M7A 1A1

Dear Minister Chiarelli:

Re: Dropping Ontario’s Price for Electricity

I have noted the difficulty you have experienced over the past several months trying to convince the media and the general population of Ontario they should simply bite the bullet and accept the fact that electricity prices will continue their above inflation climb. Having studied the situation I believe I have come up with some suggestions that would allow you to move things in the opposite direction.

First I suspect that Premier Wynne and Finance Minister Sousa exerted considerable pressure on you to come up with a scheme to help out the 500,000 to 700,000 “low-income” households in the province experiencing what is generally referred to as “energy poverty.” While the plan recommended came from the Ontario Energy Board and was altered somewhat by yourself I believe I have a better plan.

Energy Minister Chiarelli on CFRA today

27 Friday Mar 2015

Posted by Ottawa Wind Concerns in Renewable energy, Wind power

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Bob Chiarelli, CFRA, electricity bill increases, energy poverty, hydro bills Ontario, Large Renewable Procurement Ontario, Not a Willing host, Ontario consumers, Ontario electricity bills, Ottawa, Ottawa wind concerns, Steve Madely CFRA, wind farm, wind power

After “boasting” that projected electricity bill increases will result in $120 more on electricity customers bills a year yesterday in Toronto, Ontario Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli is a guest on CFRA’s The Home Page at 1 p.m.

Morning show host Steve Madely disputed Chiarelli’s math on his CFRA show this morning, saying by his calculation, the increase in electricity bills will be at least $140…and that Ontario consumers can ill afford it.

Chiarelli acknowledged that the increases are due to Ontario’s “investment” in “green” energy.

That doesn’t make economic sense, says Ottawa Wind Concerns Chair Jane Wilson. “Wind power which is today less than 4% of Ontario’s power capacity, actually represents 20% of the utility cost,” she says. “And because Ontario has a surplus of power, we are exporting a significant part of that at a loss to the United States, while we are paying wind power developers billions. Yet consumers are being asked to pay more–this is just nuts.”

Ontario opened its new contracting process for large renewable power projects on March 10; it is not clear whether a large wind power generation project will be proposed for the rural Ottawa area. The City passed a resolution in 2013 saying it did not support a wind “farm” in North Gower, and demanded a return of local land use planning powers that were removed by Ontario’s Green Energy Act.

Call in to the radio station at 613-521-8255, and listen at 580AM in Eastern Ontario, or live online at cfra.com

ottawawindconcerns@gmail.com

Ontario’s “Rollback” surplus power sale: $4B in 3 years

21 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by Ottawa Wind Concerns in Renewable energy, Wind power

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Bob Chiarelli, electricity bills Ontario, hydro bills Ontario, Ontario, Ontario economy, Parker Gallant, surplus power Ontario, Wind Concerns Ontario

Here from former bank VP Parker Gallant, now VP of Wind Concerns Ontario, a review of Ontario’s green energy policy which has resulted in a surplus of power produced when we don’t need it, and the government’s sell off to neighbouring jurisdictions.

Ontario’s power system is “exactly like Walmart” Bob Chiarelli says

Electricity: on sale every day, cheap, in Ontario

Anyone reading an excerpt from the November 18, 2014 Standing Committee on Estimates text of Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli might have trouble discerning what his message was. And, specifically, what his answer had to do with MPPRandy Hillier‘s question on whether Ontario loses money exporting surplus electricity.

Chiarelli had danced around the question, claiming Ontario needed “surplus generation,” but Hillier kept hounding him and finally, Chiarelli responded.

Mr. Randy Hillier: “Listen, I understand that we want to have a margin of surplus. We all can understand that, because you don’t know specifically and exactly how much is going to be needed at any particular point in time. But let’s get back to the question. What are our estimated losses—do you have an estimate—for this year and next year, cumulatively, in our losses of trades?”

Hon. Bob Chiarelli: “Can I ask you to give me 30 seconds without interruption? Just a few seconds, okay?”

Mr. Randy Hillier: “Well, if you can answer the question—60 seconds.”

Hon. Bob Chiarelli: “Walmart buys snow blowers. They expect to sell X number of snow blowers in a winter. At the end of the winter, if they haven’t sold those snow blowers, they sell them at a discount. They’re selling them for less than their costs. That’s part of doing business.

The electricity system is exactly the same as Walmart. Why do they have sales? Why do they sell a product that is worth X number of dollars in November for less when they’re selling it in March or April? Why do they do it? They’re giving it away. They’re losing money. How much have they lost?”

Walmart. Ontario’s electricity system is “exactly the same” as Walmart.

Here’s what the Ontario Auditor General’s report for 2011 said about what Ontario lost by exporting electricity surpluses.

“Based on our analysis of net exports and pricing data from the IESO, we estimated that from 2005 to the end of our audit in 2011, Ontario received $1.8 billion less for its electricity exports than what it actually cost electricity ratepayers of Ontario.”

The losses highlighted in the AG’s report are related to the creation of the Global Adjustment or GA. The buyers of our surplus electricity only pay the HOEP (hourly Ontario electricity price) and Ontario’s consumers pick up the difference between the contracted price for generation and the HOEP. It was that difference, the GA, that the AG’s report highlighted.

Ontario has seen three more years of generation since that report and each one has meant increasing costs to Ontario’s electricity consumers. For 2012, IESO reported our exports were 14.6 terawatt hours (TWh) and generated an average price of $24.1 million/TWh, but the costs to Ontario’s consumers for that generation included the GA which was an additional $49.6 million/TWh—that resulted in a cost of $724 million. 2013 was worse: Ontario exported 18.3 TWh generating $26.5 million/TWh with the GA cost at $59.0 million/TWh for a cost of $1.007 billion. 2014 was slightly worse again, with exports of 19.1 TWh generating $36.0 million/TWh, costing ratepayers $53.5 million/TWh for the GA, creating a loss of $1.022 billion.

So, those three years cost ratepayers $2.75 billion for the 52 TWh (11.3% of total generation of 459.8 TWh) of exported power we didn’t need, bringing losses since creation of the GA to $4.550 billion.

Ontario’s ratepayers might be much better off if Walmart really was running the electricity system in Ontario. At least Walmart isn’t continually running at a loss.

©Parker Gallant January 21, 2015

Does conserving power in Ontario save us money? (No.)

16 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by Ottawa Wind Concerns in Renewable energy, Wind power

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Bob Chiarelli, conservation power Ontario, electricity bills Ontario, electricity consumption, electricity distribution companies, hydro bills Ontario, Independent Electricity Systems Operator, Ontario, Ontario economy, Ontario government, Parker Gallant, Robert Lyman, wind power

Here is a precis of an analysis of the Ontario government’s conservation efforts prepared by local economist Robert Lyman, based on research by Parker Gallant.

Here are the numbers.

In 2009, local electricity distribution companies in Ontario provided 124,206,032 megawatt-hours (MWh) for 4,748,577 households, a monthly average of 2,180 kilowatt hours (kWh).

In 2013, they provided 125,306,563 MWh for 4,944,488 households, a monthly average of 2,112 kWh. Average consumption fell by 3.3%, or 875 kilowatts annually between 2009 and 2013. For the average home, that is a monthly reduction from 800 kWh to 774 kWh (317 kWh per year).

In 2009, the cost of a kWh of electricity delivered averaged 6.15 cents and the “commodity” cost (just the electricity portion) for the full year was $590. By reducing annual consumption by 317 kWh, the savings should have been $19.50.

In 2013, the commodity cost had risen to 9.2 cents per kWh, or $854 per year. Not only did the $19.50 savings disappear, but also, the average household paid an additional $264 annually. That represents an additional cost to all ratepayers in the province of $1.2 billion annually. That does not include the $2 billion cost of installing smart meters.

The average household would have had to reduce its annual consumption by 33%, or 3,200 kWh, in order to have simply matched its cost for electricity consumption in 2009.

The Independent Electricity Systems Operator (IESO) is required to maintain an operating reserve of generating capacity of between 1,300 and 1,600 MW for contingencies. Since 2009 the available surplus has been between 4,000 MW and 5,900 MW. The IESO expects these surpluses will continue until at least the later part of this decade. Thus, while the official rationale for smart meters, time-of-use pricing and “conservation” programs is to avoid the addition of expensive new generation capacity, the province has continued to add that capacity even in the face of a substantial surplus.

What’s next? Current Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli has set new targets for both reductions in peak demand and “conservation” in his long-term energy plan. The target set for reducing peak demand is 10% (2,400 MW by 2025) and for “conservation” is 16% (30 TWh) by 2032. These will be combined with continuing large additions in industrial wind turbine and solar power generators at substantial premiums above most current generation. As a result, despite the lower consumption, ratepayers will be expected to dig deeper into their pockets.

Ontario’s $16-million Christmas power giveaway

31 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by Ottawa Wind Concerns in Renewable energy, Wind power

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Bob Chiarelli, Dale Goldhawk, electricity bills, hydro bills Ontario, Ontario, Ontario economy, Ontario power exports, Ontario surplus power, Parker Gallant, Wind Concerns Ontario, wind power

Ontario’s $16-million Christmas power giveaway

Wind power half of surplus power sold off cheap

Ontario's energy policy: gifts for somebody---just not you

Christmas was great day for Michigan and New York, courtesy of Santa Claus Ontario and wind power: Ontario exported 16.5 % (about 66,000 MWh) of our total demand for power on Christmas Day, and those two neighbours got $500,000 in cash along with the 56,000 MWh of power we gave them. Power generated from wind energy was 36,000 MWh or 51% of total exports—if the curtailed wind production was included that would be 77% of the surplus power exported, so the wind power developers must be happy with their Christmas presents from Ontario, too.

In fact, Ontario’s electricity ratepayers picked up the cost of the cash payments to Michigan and New York, along with the actual cost of the production which was $7 million. And, we paid about $2 million for “curtailed” wind (17,000 MWh), close to $3 million for “steamed off” nuclear (49,000 MWh) and more than $3 million to the gas plant generators for their “net revenue requirement” while the gas power plants idled. That’s $16 million… and it doesn’t include the cost of Christmas Day “hydro spillage” as the Independent Electricity Systems Operator or IESO doesn’t report on it.

Total demand for power in Ontario Christmas Day was only 325,000 MWh, perhaps due to mild weather or maybe everyone barbecued their turkeys. The hourly Ontario energy price (HOEP) value of the total demand of 390,000 MWh was negative (-$2,900,000) based on the average negative price of $7.45/MWh, but Ontario ratepayers still paid the $40 million needed to produce that power.

So our Premier and her chief Elf in the Energy portfolio, Bob Chiarelli, rewarded Ontario’s ratepayers with lumps of coal on Christmas day while doling out goodies to our neighbours!

©Parker Gallant

December 26, 2014

Contact Wind Concerns Ontario at 1-855-517-0446 or

windconcerns@gmail.com

Reprinted from Wind Concerns Ontario

You may also listen to a 45-minute podcast of Parker Gallant on the Dale Goldhawk radio show here.

Economist summary of the A G report on “smart meters”: astounding incompetence

31 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by Ottawa Wind Concerns in Renewable energy, Wind power

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Auditor General Ontario, Auditor General Report, Bob Chiarelli, energy issues, Ontario, Ontario consumers, Ontario economy, Ontario electricity bills, Ontario power rates, Robert Lyman, smart meters

Ottawa-based economist Robert Lyman, who specializes in energy issues, has provided us with a summary of the highlights of the recently released Auditor General report, on the energy sector in Ontario. The government’s handling of this portfolio is astounding for its mismanagement, and wasted taxpayer and ratepayer dollars.

Read the summary from Mr Lyman Here: Ontario Auditor General Report on the Smart Metering Initiative

New bill proposes return of local land-use planning powers

27 Thursday Nov 2014

Posted by Ottawa Wind Concerns in Ottawa, Renewable energy, Wind power

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Bob Chiarelli, Green Energy Act, Jim Wilson, Jim Wilson MPP, large-scale renewable power, local land use planning, Not a Willing host, Ottawa City Council, Planning Act Ontario, Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, Scott Moffatt, Scott Moffatt Ottawa, wind power projects

MPP Jim Wilson, also the interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, put forward a bill to amend the Planning Act, to return the local land-use planning powers that were removed by the Green Energy Act in 2009.

The Green Energy Act actually superceded 21 pieces of legislation in Ontario, in order to ease the way for large wind and solar power generation projects, but mostly wind.

You may recall that, following a petition by residents in the North Gower-Richmond area to the City of Ottawa last year, Ottawa City Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the residents’ declaration that the community was Not A Willing Host to large-scale wind power projects, and asked the province to return local land-use planning powers.

Rideau-Goulbourn councillor Scott Moffatt responded to the news in an email to Ottawa Wind Concerns with this comment:

I am aware that this bill was introduced by MPP Wilson in 2013 and am pleased to see him re-introduce it today at Queen’s Park. It certainly echoes the motion that was carried at Council last November.

Scott Moffatt

It is extremely disappointing that while the Ontario government, including Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli, has said communities could play a larger role in the siting of power projects and that community approval would be important, the newly released procurement process guidelines indicate that communities can still not say NO.

See the video clip of MPP Wilson here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKzbxexVqcA&feature=youtu.be

Email us at ottawawindconcerns@gmail.com

Donations welcome to help us with expenses and to maintain our retainer for legal services: PO Box 3, North Gower ON K0A 2T0

The collected wisdom of Energy Minister Chiarelli

29 Monday Sep 2014

Posted by Ottawa Wind Concerns in Renewable energy, Wind power

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Bob Chiarelli, Brad Duguid, Charles Sousa, Dr Arlene King, Health Canada wind turbine noise study, health study turbine noise, Ontario, Ontario electricity bills, Ontario Liberal Party, Ontario Ombudsman, Parker Gallant, power system Ontario, wind power

Minister Chiarelli: words of wisdom

Ummm...uhhhh...er... [The musings of Bob Chiarelli] — Ummm…uhhhh…er… [The musings of Bob Chiarelli]

In the approximately one and a half years that Bob Chiarelli has been Energy Minister, he has made many observations about the electricity sector in Ontario. I thought it might be amusing to see a collection of them, altogether.

When Minster Chiarelli announced the end of the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit (January 1, 2015) he said: “The provincial government is trying to rejig hydro bills to ensure that customers aren’t hit with a sharp increase when the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit is phased out.” And, “The plan was to also eliminate the debt retirement charge on hydro bills at the same time.” The announcement of those simultaneous actions raised the average ratepayer bill by $100 annually but in Mr. Chiarelli’s wisdom that wasn’t a “sharp increase”!

Minister Chiarelli announced that “wind turbine developers” would be “paid to not produce power” and bragged it would save ratepayers $200 million annually! He didn’t promise that rates would fall as a result of the savings, however, and he also failed to note that the money paid “to not produce power” would raise the per kWh cost of the actual power produced!

The Minister announced that the Samsung contract had been revised and would “save ratepayers money,” $3.7 billion over the 20-year term. Once again, no promise of rates falling, just that they wouldn’t increase as much as previously anticipated.

Minister Chiarelli told us that “over the next 20 years, rates would increase 3.4 % per year” (after the Samsung announcement) but this writer’s bill increased 9.1% in only one year, as have most ratepayers bills. We are all looking forward to the 3.4% increase after 10 years of 10% increases.

Minister Chiarelli holds the record of the nine Liberal Ministers of Energy for issuing 22 “directives” to the OPA, surpassing Brad Duguid, the previous record holder at 19. Apparently Liberal Energy Ministers know more than the “experts” running the electricity system!

The first directive issued by Minister Chiarelli on June 23, 2023 instructed the OPA to expand FIT and MicroFIT contracts; that was superseded by his most recent directive of August 29, 2014 telling them to scale back, even though they hadn’t achieved his original target.

Minister Chiarelli has been consistent in telling all Ontario ratepayers to “conserve” but he recently issued a new directive instructing the OPA to create a new program so large industrial companies would “consume more” at rates at a third of what the rest of us pay.

Minister Chiarelli referred to the cost of the gas plant move from Oakville as the “price of a Timmie’s coffee” and uses that analogy often when talking about increasing electricity rates. Is this a new currency he plans on bringing in if he is appointed Finance Minister for the Province?

Minister Chiarelli in his “Minister’s Message” in his long-term energy plan, “Achieving Balance” says, “Ontario has adopted a policy of Conservation First,” and a chart in the plan “Forecast Energy Production (TWh) 2032” claims it willcontribute 30 TWh of energy efficiency by then. I presume he noticed that 30 TWh of nothing won’t toast your bread!

The same Minister’s Message also says, “We will work with our agencies and the province’s local distribution companies to ensure they operate more efficiently and produce savings that will benefit Ontario’s ratepayers.” Meanwhile, the largest and most costly large distributor in the province, Hydro One (owned by the province)is being investigated by Ontario’s Ombudsman for a billing system causing havoc for its 1.1 million ratepayers. Ironically, the recent budget from Minister of Finance, Charles Sousa, talks about maximizing profits from it to increase revenues to help reduce the budget deficit. That puts Minister Chiarelli in conflict with Minister Sousa! Wonder who will win?

Minister Chiarelli wants us all to conserve but his “Achieving Balance” plan comes up short as it will actually increase emissions according to the Power Workers Union and the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers. The Power Workers, “the plan is short-sighted in its thinking, will leave the province vulnerable to supply shortages and willreverse the decline in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions attributed to the successful restart of units 1 and 2 at Bruce Power by relying significantly more on natural gas generation when the Pickering Nuclear Station closes.”

Minister Chiarelli in an interview had this to say about engagement with municipalities: “Our government wants to ensure that future renewable energy projects will be built in the right place at the right time.” So, municipalities can have their “say,” they just can’t say “no.”

Minister Chiarelli in the same interview was asked a question about the possibility of a moratorium on wind projects until the federal health study was complete. He said, “Dr. Arlene King [former Chief Medical Officer of Health] undertook a review of the potential health effects of wind turbines. Her 2010 report stated that there is no scientific evidence to date to support claims that wind turbine noise cause adverse health effects.” We know Dr. King’s report was nothing more than a “literature review,” is contentious and outdated, but our Energy Minister pretends it is the last word.

This is a quick review of Minister Chiarelli’s management of the Ontario electricity sector, highlighting his contradictory views, his conflicts, his approach to the addition of wind turbines to Ontario’s energy sector and their mediocre potential to contribute to Ontario’s electricity needs. A deeper review of Chiarelli’s performance and that of his predecessors would have turn up more results and more of egregious statements.

What stands out is that the Ontario Liberal government has contrived to make Ontario the most expensive market for electricity in North America, a major factor in Ontario’s mediocre economic performance.

September 29, 2014

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent Wind Concerns Ontario policy.

Re-posted from Wind Concerns Ontario

Ottawa Wind Concerns

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Tag Archives: Bob Chiarelli

Queen’s Park to pass new legislation to ram through new hydro corridors: Ottawa Citizen

The provincial government is preparing a new law to make it easier to build and expand hydro corridors, with the Ottawa area a prime target.

Where is Ontario getting money for the deficit? Out of your pocket

How to get those power bills down: Parker Gallant to Bob Chiarelli

Energy Minister Chiarelli on CFRA today

Ontario’s “Rollback” surplus power sale: $4B in 3 years

Ontario’s power system is “exactly like Walmart” Bob Chiarelli says

Does conserving power in Ontario save us money? (No.)

Ontario’s $16-million Christmas power giveaway

Ontario’s $16-million Christmas power giveaway

Economist summary of the A G report on “smart meters”: astounding incompetence

New bill proposes return of local land-use planning powers

The collected wisdom of Energy Minister Chiarelli

Minister Chiarelli: words of wisdom