Lake Sturgeon stranded in a hydroelectric facility’s overflow channel.
RISKS & UNCERTAINTIES
Why is the IESO even considering procuring new hydropower when the IESO and Ontario government’s own reports provide an abundance of powerful reasons why it would be unwise? IESO’s Annual Planning Outlook (APO) is a 25-year outlook, from 2026 to 20501. It is essential to keep this in mind as you read through this submission.
Hydropower’s Climate Vulnerability:
The Report warns that “changes in Ontario’s climate are expected to continue at unprecedented rates… and it will pose indirect threats to things like water availability and water quality.” In addition, “by the 2080s, northern Ontario, which experiences on average four extreme heat days annually, is projected to see upwards of 35 such days each year. Whereas “southern, central and eastern Ontario will average 55 to 60 such extreme heat days per year—a fourfold increase from the current annual average of about 16 days.” This will have serious negative impacts on the intermittent and unreliable nature of hydropower generation; however, it also will have devastating effects on water quality, water quantity, aquatic life, riverine ecosystem sustainability and communities that rely on those freshwater resources.