Media Release: More than 60 groups call for phase out of gas-fired power plants to help our climate

Cross-posted from the Ontario Clean Air Alliance

The Ford Government wants to ramp up the greenhouse gas pollution from Ontario’s gas-fired power plants by more than 300% by 2025 and by 500% or more by 2040.

To help fuel this massive increase in fossil fuel electricity and climate threatening pollution, the provincial government recently purchased 3 gas plants (for $2.8 billion), and plans to increase imports of fracked gas from the U.S. and western Canada.

Ontario is set to throw away approximately 40% of the greenhouse gas reductions it achieved by phasing out dirty coal thanks to a power plan built around ramping up gas-fired generation to replace the output of the Pickering Nuclear Station (scheduled to close in 2024).

Fortunately, there is a better way to keep our lights on. We can meet our 2030 climate target and lower our electricity bills by phasing-out our gas-fired power plants by 2030 and embracing lower cost and cleaner options.

Here is how we can avoid a huge gas pollution increase:

• Reverse shortsighted cuts to energy efficiency programs and stop under-investing in this quick-to-deploy and low-cost resource. We can ensure we maximize efficiency efforts by paying up to the same price per kWh for energy efficiency measures as we are currently paying for power from nuclear plants (e.g., up to 9.6 cents per kWh).
• Return Ontario to leadership in developing increasingly low-cost renewable energy resources. It makes no sense to ignore our lower cost options for keeping our lights on while investing in high-cost nuclear rebuilds. We should support renewable energy projects that have costs that are below what we are paying for nuclear power and work with communities to make the most of these economic opportunities.
• Accept Quebec’s offer of low-cost 24/7 power from its massive waterpower system. Quebec has offered power at less than one-half the cost of re-building our aging Darlington and Bruce Nuclear Stations and Ontario can only benefit by making a long-term deal with its green energy-rich neighbour. Quebec’s system of reservoirs can also be used like a giant battery to backstop made-in-Ontario renewable power, eliminating the need to use gas-fired power plants.
• Put in place an interim cap of 2.5 megatonnes per year on our gas plant’s greenhouse gas pollution and develop a plan to phase out all gas-fired electricity generation by 2030 to ensure Ontario meets its climate targets.

Click here to call the leaders of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, the Liberal Party of Ontario, the New Democratic Party of Ontario, the Green Party of Ontario, and your MPP, and let them know that you support a renewable future, not more fracked gas electricity.

Our call to phase out gas-fired power plants has been endorsed by more than 60 national, provincial and local organizations. If your organization would like to join the campaign, please contact Angela Bischoff.