Last month, the Ontario government released its long-term vision of what the province’s energy future will look like, and it was positive news for the Clean Energy Frontier region of Grey, Bruce and Huron Counties and the area’s Indigenous communities.
The government and the province’s Independent Electricity System Operator are predicting the demand for electricity will grow by 75 per cent by 2050 and the ambitious plan to meet that skyrocketing demand includes a strong mix of nuclear, natural gas, hydrogen, storage, and other energy sources.
Energy for Generations: Ontario’s Integrated Plan to Power the Strongest Economy in the G7, Ontario’s first integrated energy plan, establishes a planning horizon out to 2050.
The good news for our area is that the plan includes several mentions of the work we’re already doing at Bruce Power to produce clean energy and cancer-fighting medical isotopes, as well as investments into the future of our site and our made-in-Ontario partnerships that will continue to see investments into our communities to further drive the economy.
The Integrated Energy Plan lays out priorities related to meeting the growing need for affordable and reliable energy, ensuring customer choice, expanding Ontario’s leadership by identifying opportunities to build on the province’s clean energy economy, and extending Ontario’s global nuclear leadership. The vision commits to working in partnership with Indigenous communities in the buildout of Ontario’s energy system to advance economic reconciliation and enable Indigenous leadership and participation in the energy sector.
While all future decisions will be guided by the government’s four principles of affordability, security, reliability and clean energy, the report is bullish on the need for nuclear power, the refurbishment of current assets, and the need for future small- and large-scale reactor builds.
As Bruce Power continues to complete its Life-Extension Program and Major Component Replacement Project on budget, with quality and on schedule, it is also completing upgrades as part of Project 2030, which will see the site increase its output to 7,000 megawatts of safe, clean and reliable energy at the end of Major Component Replacement in 2033.
The government report also mentioned the potential option of refurbishing Units 1 and 2 for a second time and that it would be based on an assessment of system needs by the Independent Electricity System Operator and value to the ratepayer.
In 2023, the Ontario government launched the pre-development work for the first large-scale nuclear plant in the province since 1993. If approved, Bruce C could add up to 4,800 megawatts of reliable generation at the Bruce site, enough to power 4.8 million homes. Bruce Power last year submitted an Initial Project Description to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, launching the federal approval process for the potential project.
As Ontario undertakes this significant expansion of energy infrastructure, it is also creating new opportunities for Indigenous communities. This has led to a growing and evolving demand for supports that allow communities to participate in energy opportunities to help shape their future.
