November 23, 2011

Siting requirements for natural gas electrical power plants may need improvement: Ontario Energy Minister

Chris Bentley, Ontario's minister of energy, said the site guidelines for natural gas-powered electricity generating stations may need to be strengthened.

Bentley made his comments in the Ontario Legislature during question period, when Vic Fedeli, the Ontario Progressive Conservative energy critic and Member of Provincial Parliament for Nipissing, asked a question about the construction of the Greenfield South Power plant in Mississauga.

"When we committed that there would be no gas plant on the site we were listening to the residents of Mississauga and Etobicoke," Bentley said, referring to the communities in and near the site. "We’ve also heard that the guidelines for siting gas generating facilities, which have been successful in siting seven already, may require some additional improvement and strengthening. We’re going to take that information, we’re looking at what other jurisdictions do, we’re getting the best advice so we can deliver the power residents need, businesses need, where they need it, when they need it and have sites that will meet with general approval. I look forward to speaking with my colleague more about that in the future."

For more in-depth information on the Mississauga natural gas plant, please see Ontario energy critic demands to know cost of partially constructed Mississauga gas power plant in the Daily Commercial News.

On Monday, the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) announced in a press release that it had reached an agreement with Greenfield South Power Corp. to stop construction on the 280-Megawatt plant, located on a 4.5-hectare property near the intersection of Dixie Road and Dundas Street, about 20 kilometres west of downtown Toronto. Greenfield is associated with Eastern Power Ltd.

In an interview Tuesday with DCN, Fedeli criticized the government for not revealing the cost. “You would think that when Minister Bentley announced the termination (November 21) that he would know how much it was going to cost,” Fedeli said. “He was asked that question and did not provide an answer. This is the taxpayer’s money we’re talking about.” Bentley did not reveal the cost Wednesday.

During Question Period Wednesday, Fedeli asked: "Minister, you went ahead with the Mississauga power plant despite the community’s strong objections. Then, with 12 days left in the election campaign, you announced you were cancelling the plant. But for 60 days construction has continued, costing Ontario families more and more with each passing day. Minister, will you now come clean on the cost of your Mississauga power plant and table the letter sent by the OPA to Eastern Power?"

Bentley congratulated Fedeli on his election to the Legislature Oct. 6, said he was "very pleased that the Ontario Power Authority and Greenfield South have reached an agreement that there will not be a gas generating facility on that site."

Without talking about money, Bentley added: "Their discussions continue and I look forward to further information about the location of the gas generating facility in the future."

DCN DIGITAL MEDIA

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