Ontario’s Energy Minister to give the IESO its marching orders for phasing out gas power

By Angela Bischoff, Director of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance

Ontario Energy Minister Todd Smith will give the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) its marching orders for phasing out gas-fired power during a public online speech to the agency on November 3rd.

We are counting on Minister Smith to direct the IESO to develop a plan to phase-out our gas plants ASAP at the lowest possible cost. After all, it was a Progressive Conservative (PC) government that started the move away from fossil fuels for the Ontario electricity system with the coal phase-out, and now a PC government can finish it by eliminating polluting gas power.

Here’s how. First, Mr. Smith needs to direct the IESO to develop a plan to return the gas plants’ pollution back to their 2017 level ASAP as requested by Ontario’s municipalities.

Second, Mr. Smith needs to direct the IESO to develop a plan to achieve a complete gas power phase-out by 2030.

We can achieve these dual goals and lower our electricity bills by implementing the following five step plan:

1.    Tripling our spot market purchases of low-cost Quebec waterpower using our existing transmission lines.

2.    Banning gas-fired electricity exports to the U.S.

3.    Purchasing all energy efficiency savings, solar and wind power that can keep our lights on at less than today’s price of nuclear electricity (9.6 cents per kWh).

4.    Expanding our transmission links with Quebec and using Hydro Quebec’s reservoirs to act like a giant battery for our wind and solar energy.

5.    Installing two-way chargers for our electric vehicles so that their batteries can provide power to the grid during peak demand hours. This is urgent. It is cheaper to incentivize two-way charging now before millions of “dumb” one-way chargers are purchased.

What you can do

Minister Tod Smith

1.    Please send a message to Minister Smith and ask him to direct the IESO to develop a plan to phase-out gas-fired power by 2030 at the lowest possible cost.

2.    Register to watch Minister Smith’s online presentation to the IESO on Wed. November 3, 9 a.m by emailing: engagement@ieso.ca. Minister Smith’s speech will begin immediately after the opening remarks.