Otis Singleton
Toronto Hydro is responsible for delivering electricity to the city of Toronto, serving approximately 796,000 customers and distributing around 18% of the electricity consumed in Ontario. The electricity that Toronto Hydro supplies comes from a variety of sources, including nuclear plants at Pickering, Darlington, and Bruce County, which combined account for about 60% of the electricity available on the grid in Ontario. Toronto Hydro has also invested in renewable energy sources, such as wind power, with the construction of a 65-metre-tall wind turbine in partnership with the Toronto Renewable Energy Co-operative. Ontario Power Generation (OPG), a Crown corporation, generates about half of the electricity in Ontario through nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, gas, and biomass energy. OPG has been recognized for its performance as a good corporate citizen and its contribution to community events and charities across Ontario.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Electricity provider | Toronto Hydro Corporation |
| Number of customers | 796,000 |
| Percentage of electricity consumed in Ontario | 18% |
| Electricity sources | Nuclear, hydro, wind, gas, solar, biofuel, biomass |
| Electricity generation in Ontario | 14,890 megawatts |
| Percentage of electricity from nuclear sites | 62% |
| Percentage of electricity from hydro | 19.3% |
| Percentage of electricity from wind | 13.5% |
| Percentage of electricity from gas | 4.6% |
| Electricity generated by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) | 74.0 terawatt hours (TWh) |
| OPG's sources of electricity | Nuclear, hydro, wind, gas, biomass, solar |
| OPG's ownership | Government of Ontario |
| OPG's awards | Corporate Knights Top 50 Best Corporate Citizens in Canada |
| OPG's ranking in 2023 | 4th |
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What You'll Learn
Ontario Power Generation (OPG)
Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG) is a Crown corporation and "government business enterprise" that is responsible for approximately half of the electricity generation in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is wholly owned by the government of Ontario and is the largest utility in Ontario's competitive electricity market, with over 18,230 MW of capacity. OPG generates electricity from nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, gas, solar, biomass, and some thermal energy sources.
OPG has won many awards for its performance as a "good corporate citizen", including being named for the fourth year in a row to the Corporate Knights Top 50 Best Corporate Citizens in Canada. The company regularly sponsors community events across the province and houses wildlife trails in the exclusion zones around its nuclear stations in the Durham Region. OPG's annual employee charity campaigns have raised millions of dollars for charities across Ontario. In October 2008, the company was named one of "Canada's Top 100 Employers" by Mediacorp Canada Inc. and was featured in Maclean's.
OPG has generating plants that draw from various energy sources. In 2018, it generated about 74.0 terawatt hours (TWh) or about half of the electricity in Ontario. OPG has worked to refurbish the Pickering nuclear plant, providing 542 MW of generating capacity for Ontario's electricity system. The company also pursued the continued operation of the Pickering Station until 2024 to ensure a reliable and clean source of base load electricity during the refurbishment of other nuclear generating stations.
OPG has also shown a commitment to sustainability and innovation. In 2023, the company announced it would retrofit an existing building in Oshawa, Ontario, for its new headquarters instead of constructing a new building. Additionally, OPG partnered with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy to deploy a small modular reactor (SMR) at the Darlington new nuclear site, the only site in Canada currently licensed for a new nuclear build.
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Nuclear power
While nuclear power has faced financial, environmental, and safety concerns, it remains a crucial part of Ontario's energy strategy. Nuclear energy is favoured over other sources, such as coal, due to its low greenhouse gas emissions and stable output. Additionally, nuclear power plants provide a constant and steady supply of electricity, making them a reliable source of baseload electricity generation.
Ontario is also investing in new nuclear generation to meet rising electricity demand. The province has started pre-development work with Bruce Power to site a new large-scale nuclear build, demonstrating the continued reliance on nuclear power to provide affordable and emissions-free energy for Toronto and the surrounding areas.
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Renewable energy
Toronto's electricity comes from a range of renewable energy sources. Ontario, where Toronto is located, has a diverse electricity grid with a combination of wind power, hydroelectric generation, solar power, biomass energy, and geothermal energy.
Hydroelectricity, or hydropower, is a major component of Ontario's electricity supply, accounting for more than 20% of the province's total generation capacity. It is considered a clean, renewable, and valuable energy source as it can serve as a source of baseload, intermediate, and peaking generation. Ontario also has interconnections with Quebec, which is known for its abundance of hydroelectricity projects.
Nuclear energy is another significant source of electricity in Ontario, accounting for over 30% of the province's total generation capacity and almost 60% of its total output. Ontario generates and relies on the most nuclear power in Canada.
Solar power is also an important renewable energy source for Toronto and Ontario. Solar energy is particularly valuable during the summer months when it helps offset increased air conditioning use, reducing strain on the electricity grid. Ontario's solar capacity is mostly made up of small-scale generators owned or maintained by individuals or non-utility businesses.
Wind power is another source of clean and renewable energy in Ontario. Wind turbines use strong, steady wind to generate electricity with zero emissions and minimal impact on the land and wildlife when properly sited. Wind energy can be produced anywhere the wind blows with consistent force, and wind farms can be mixed with agricultural farms, making efficient use of land.
Biomass energy is also a promising source of renewable energy for Toronto. Biomass is derived from agricultural or forest waste, such as straw or sawdust, and is used to produce bioenergy through the release of stored chemical energy. The City of Toronto has identified potential biogas and landfill gas upgrading opportunities at several solid waste management facilities, which are estimated to produce 52.6 million cubic meters of renewable natural gas each year.
In addition to these sources, Toronto is also exploring geothermal energy, or earth energy, for heating and cooling buildings. Toronto's deep lake water cooling project takes advantage of cold water from Lake Ontario to cool office buildings, eliminating the need for electricity-intensive air conditioners.
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Toronto Hydro
In the post-war baby boom of the 1950s, Toronto Hydro struggled to keep up with a 75% increase in consumption, building 12 new electrical substations and replacing over 200,000 meters. In the 1960s, the convenience of electricity was promoted, and its use grew. In the 1970s, Toronto Hydro introduced energy conservation programs and incentives for customers.
In the 1980s, Toronto Hydro became the largest municipal electricity distribution utility in Canada, introducing a customized Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system (SCADA) to monitor the distribution system remotely. In 1998, Bill 103 amalgamated six municipal electric utilities, nearly tripling Toronto Hydro's customer base to around 650,000 customers. In 1999, the City of Toronto became Toronto Hydro's sole shareholder.
In 2002, Toronto Hydro built a 65-metre-tall wind turbine at Exhibition Place in partnership with the Toronto Renewable Energy Co-operative (TREC). In 2015, Toronto Hydro unveiled Hydrostor, the world's first underwater compressed air energy storage system, which stores electricity when demand is low and releases it when the grid needs it.
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Electricity imports and exports
Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG), a Crown corporation, generates approximately half of Ontario's electricity. OPG's sources of electricity include nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, gas, and biomass.
In 2015, Ontario's electricity usage was about 14,890 megawatts, with 62% coming from nuclear energy, 19.3% from hydroelectricity, 13.5% from wind, and 4.6% from gas. The remaining power sourced from solar panels and biofuel made up less than 1% of the electricity grid.
OPG's electricity imports primarily come from Quebec, delivered via the Trans-Northern Pipeline, rail, and truck. Additionally, imports are sourced from refineries in the U.S. Midwest. In 2023, Ontario's net interprovincial and international electricity exports were 13.0 TWh, with most exports going to New York and Michigan.
Toronto Hydro, which serves approximately 796,000 customers in Toronto, is responsible for distributing electricity within the city. It delivers electricity to residential, commercial, and industrial customers, accounting for about 18% of the electricity consumed in Ontario.
To meet the growing demand for electricity in Toronto, Toronto Hydro has secured over $2 billion in capital funding for infrastructure upgrades and to safeguard against extreme weather events. Toronto Hydro has also implemented initiatives to help customers manage their electricity bills, such as introducing smart meter projects and Time-of-Use rates.
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Frequently asked questions
Toronto Hydro Corporation owns two subsidiaries: Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited and Toronto Hydro Energy Services Inc. Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited owns and operates the electricity distribution system for the city of Toronto and has approximately 796,000 customers.
Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG) is responsible for approximately half of the electricity generation in Ontario. OPG's sources of electricity include nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, gas, and biomass.
Toronto Hydro is the largest municipal electricity distribution utility in Canada. It was formed in the 1920s when it merged with private electricity companies, and it currently delivers electricity to approximately 796,000 customers in the city of Toronto.
