Ontario’s new energy minister rejects natural gas moratorium

Ontario has no plans to do without natural gas power plants, despite the polluting emissions. New Energy Minister Stephen Lecce says a moratorium could lead to outages and skyrocketing prices.

Environmentalists and elected officials denounce pollution linked to gas power plants and the expansion of the Portlands power plant in Toronto, in particular.

The advantage of gas-fired power plants is that they can increase production quickly during peak periods like summer.

Even though natural gas represents only 10% to 20% of the electricity produced in Ontario – nuclear and hydroelectricity continue to dominate – Ontario cannot do without it, says Minister Lecce.

He points out that the province has an industrial expansion plan, including multiple energy-intensive battery and electric vehicle factory projects.

We are facing a massive demand for energy. […] We need nuclear power, natural gas and renewable energy.

He adds that almost 90% of the electricity produced in Ontario does not generate emissions.

The leader of the Green Party of Ontario, Mike Schreiner, responds in a press release that the elimination of natural gas is not an “ideological” issue, but “essential”.

Increasing production of costly and polluting gas-fired power plants makes no sense when Ontarians face an affordability crisis and climate emergency.

Nuclear contract with Romania

A subsidiary of the public company Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has entered into a 7-year, $360 million contract with Romania to refurbish a nuclear reactor in the European country.

Minister Lecce says Ontario is looking for opportunities to “export” provincial expertise.