New power plant for waterfront ..................................................
Jan 30 2006
CBC News
Ontario's energy minister says she'll make final decisions within weeks about the specifications for a new power generating plant on Toronto's waterfront.
Donna Cansfield says the gas-fired plant, to be built at the site of the old Hearn generating station in the city's Portlands area, will initially produce about 300 megawatts of electricity.
Its capacity is expected to eventually rise to 600 megawatts, and the new facility may produce heat as well as electricity, she said.
Without such a plant, Cansfield says the city could be hit by rolling blackouts by 2008.
Toronto's Board of Trade is applauding the move, which it says will help stave off a "crisis" in the city's energy supply.
"We've delayed for so long, we now have to take some action," said Board of Trade spokesperson Rob McLeese. "We don't have any choices."
But while Mayor David Miller acknowledges that they city faces a power crunch, he says a 600-megawatt plant is too big for the area.
"Toronto has to have proper power, but we have to first look at conservation," Miller said.
Cansfield is also in favour of encouraging conservation, but said changing the energy consumption habits of consumers will take time that the province may not have. |
