
A presentation made by the Chair at ORA’s 16 October 2021 Annual General Meeting:
The Ontario Rivers Alliance filed a Freedom of Information Application with the IESO in February of 2016 to obtain the following list of terminated Feed-in-Tariff Contracts: Continue reading
Wabagishik Rapids – Vermilion River
MEDIA RELEASE: For Immediate Release: 13 July 2016
10 Ontario Rivers Protected from 19 Hydroelectric Projects
SUDBURY: The Ontario Rivers Alliance (ORA) is celebrating a major victory in the protection of 10 Ontario rivers that have been under threat from 19 proposed hydroelectric projects. Actions taken by the ORA and its members have led to what was considered to be impossible – the termination of 19 Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) Contracts.
In 2011, ORA came into being to address a rash of 87 proposed hydroelectric proposals initiated under the Green Energy Act. The offer of generous incentives to produce power during peak demand hours had proponents rushing to claim access to falls and rapids on rivers all across the province. The number of proposals to actually receive FIT Contracts was soon reduced to 41, and of those, Xeneca Power Development Inc. had secured 19 contracts for projects involving 23 Crown sites on 10 Ontario rivers. Continue reading
MNR Site No: 4LF1
Location: Old Woman Falls, Kapuskasing River
Contract: Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) – 5.5 MW Installed Capacity
Proponent: Nipiy-OWF HydroKap LP
Status: This project is under construction.
MNR Site No: 4LF2
Location: White Otter Falls, Kapuskasing River
Contract: Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) – 5.5 MW Installed Capacity
Proponent: Nipiy-OWF HydroKap LP
Status: This project is under construction.
MNR Site No: 4LF3
Location: Big Beaver Falls, Kapuskasing River
Contract: Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) – 5.5 MW Installed Capacity
Proponent: Amik-BBF HydroKap
Status: This project is under construction.
MNR Site No: 4LF11
Location: Camp Three Rapids, Kapuskasing River
Contract: Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) – 5.5 MW Installed Capacity
Proponent: Amik-CTR HydroKap LP
Status: This project is under construction.
MNR Site No: 4LE3
Location: Buchan Falls, Lapinigam Rapids, Kapuskasing River, Chapleau District, ON
Contract: FIT – 8.2 MW IC
MNR Site No: 4LE5
Location: Clouston Rapids, Kapuskasing River, Buchan, Chapleau District, ON
Contract: FIT – 5 MW IC
MNR Site No: 4LF9
Location: Cedar Rapids, Near North Boundary, Kapuskasing River, Buchan, Chapleau District, ON
Contract: FIT – 3.75 MW IC
MNR Site No: 4LE1
Location: Outlet Kapuskasing Lake, Kapuskasing River, Chapleau District, ON
Contract: Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) – 2.5 MW Installed Capacity (IC)
Proponent: Xeneca Power Development Inc., ON
Status: Sites are all connected and will be under one Environmental Report. Progressing through EA Process.
Additional Information: www.xeneca.com Continue reading
Dam It provides a great overview of some of the problems with hydroelectric.
Dam It was created by three Grade 12 students from Kapuskasing District High School, as a school Science Project. This film illustrates the effects of hydroelectric dams and climate change on the Kapuskasing River.
Ontario Rivers Alliance (ORA) is a Not-for-Profit grassroots organization with a focus on healthy river ecosystems all across Ontario. ORA members represent numerous organizations such as the Vermilion River Stewardship, French River Delta Association, CPAWS-Ottawa Valley, Whitewater Ontario, Mississippi Riverwatchers, along with many other stewardships, associations, and private and First Nations citizens, who have come together to ensure the rash of waterpower proposals currently going through the approvals process are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.
We all want Green Energy, but let’s ensure it is truly Green, and not the “Green-washed” version that is being proposed for many Ontario rivers. Let’s ensure that efficiencies and upgrades are made to existing hydroelectric dams before new ones are built. Let’s ensure fish passage and fish friendly turbines are installed.
Climate change is upon us, and WATER is quickly becoming our gravest concern. Let’s ensure river developments take into account the best advice of climate scientists, and are sustainable for many years to come.
So What’s the Dam Problem?
Ontario rivers are being placed at risk by a rash of over 45 hydroelectric proposals that have been awarded FIT Contracts, and are moving through the permitting and approvals process. The Green Energy Act with its accompanying FIT Program is the only thing that has made many of these rivers feasible for waterpower development. The proponent can’t be told to stand down, and gets paid a 50% bonus for whatever power they can generate – with a 50% bonus to produce power during peak demand. This encourages developers to maximize power at the expense of the environment and public health and safety.
Ontario Rivers are in trouble because our government has put the developer in charge of the Environmental Assessment process, instead of the MOE and MNR, and there is no possibility of a “no outcome” – effectively placing the FOX in charge of the chicken coop!
Hydroelectric is not “Green” when river flow is held back in head ponds – it is in fact “Dirty Energy”.
Dams that hold water back in headponds result in:
Ontario Rivers offer a thriving eco-tourism opportunity for small businesses:
We invite you to join us in our mission.
“Our future generations are depending on us.”
It has come to our attention that at least 18 modified run-of-river hydroelectric proposals are funded through the government employees’ pension trust fund – OPSEU – OPTrust. These types of hydroelectric dams carry numerous negative impacts1 resulting in reduced water quality and water quantity, destruction of habitat and spawning areas, place extreme pressure on fish and endangered species survival, and the frequent and extreme swings in water flow velocity and water levels pose a serious threat to public health and safety. MNR and MOE staff are assigned to facilitate these proposals through the Environmental Assessment, permits, and approvals process, and ultimately through to completion. It is also MNR and MOE that make the final decisions on whether these proposals are approved. With their own pension monies at risk, this would appear to be a clear conflict of interest.
Kapuskasing River (ON)
June 24, 2011 — Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Transport Canada are required to ensure that a screening is conducted commencing on May 6, 2011 in relation to the development proposal: Hydroelectric Development, Kapuskasing River, Buchan Township.
Xeneca Power Development Inc. is proposing to construct and operate four hydroelectric generating stations on the Kapuskasing River at Kapuskasing Lake Outlet, Buchanan Falls, Clouston Rapids and Cedar Rapids between the towns of Elsas and Kapuskasing and would be operated as four run-of-river facilities with provisions for modified peaking. The Kapuskasing Lake Outlet project would involve the construction of an 85 m long concrete spillway, with a 10 m long side abutment, a 62 m long central abutment and a 16 m wide intake structure and would result in the flooding of approximately 1.3 ha of riparian lands. The proposed project would connect to the Buchanan Falls site via a new 44 kV power line. Access to the proposed site would require construction of a 6 km long road. The Lapinigam Rapids project at Buchanan Falls would involve the construction of a 215 m long spillway dam and a 23 m wide intake structure and would result in the flooding of approximately 6.3 ha of riparian lands. The proposed project would connect to the Middle Townships site at Clouston Rapids via a new 44 kV power line. Access to the proposed site would require construction of a 9 km long road. The Middle Township Buchanan project at Clouston Rapids would involve the construction of a single dam incorporating a 46 m long earth-filled abutment, the powerhouse, which has a footprint of 35 m long by 13 m wide, and a 90 m long roller compacted concrete spillway section. All 44 kV feeder lines from the other four sites converge at this location. A common 44 or 115 kV line will connect to the Ivanhoe River- Third Falls line, and subsequently to the Weston Lake DS, then onward to Circuit T61S, Tower 217. Access to the proposed Middle Township site would require construction of a 7 km long road. The Near North Boundary project at Cedar Rapids would involve the construction of a single dam incorporating a 23 m long earth-filled abutment, the powerhouse, which has a footprint of 35 m long by 10 m wide, and a 95 m long spillway section and would result in the flooding of approximately 1.6 ha of riparian lands. The proposed project would connect to the Middle Townships site at Clouston Rapids via a new 44 kV power line. Access to the proposed site would require construction of a 9 km long road. Continue reading