Electric Generating Stations

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Canadian Electric Generating Stations

There are 815 generating stations in Canada of 500 kilowatts (kW) or greater capacity in operation as of December 31, 1997.

• Hydro-electric generating stations
• Thermal
  • Natural Gas generating stations
  • Petroleum Products generating stations
  • Coal generating stations
  • Forest-waste Fuels generating stations
• Uranium generating stations (Nuclear)
• Other Fuels generating stations (Wind, Solar, Tidal, Geo-thermal)

Of Canada's developed capacity, nearly 60% is hydro-electric, about 30% is thermal, and 10% is nuclear. Wind energy in 1997 made up 0.01% of total capacity.

Energy costs a lot of money to produce. Whether it be from oil, coal, gas, hydro, nuclear, or other sources there is a huge investment required in production facilities and transmission. In both Central Canada and North East US, electrical energy has reached it's capacity without building new facilities.

11 0f the top 30 contributors to green house gas emissions in Canada are Electric Generating Stations. Electric Generating Stations account for over 30% of all sources of pollution in Canada. Coal and Oil fired Electric Generating Stations are by far the greatest source of green house gas emissions in Canada. But, where would many communities be without them? See Report

Coal-fired generating plants are likely to continue operating for decades. A multi-faceted approach is definitely needed with the use of lower sulphur coal, clean-coal technologies, natural gas and more renewables. The Genesee Coal Mine, located approximately 70 kilometres southwest of Edmonton, provides 5.5 million tonnes of coal a year for this Genesee Generating Station.

Hydroelectric power is a timeless, renewable resource but the most costly to build which is offset by being the lowest maintenance cost power source. Hydroelectric power is dependent on vast water sources and is not suitable for areas without abundant supply. The detriment to land covered by the reservors required is another factor in developing hydroelectric power. Once built, the reservoirs created can become recreational facilities and water supply for the surrounding community.

Revelstoke Dam is Canada's second generating project on the Columbia River and one of four dams in B.C. that regulate the flow of the Columbia. Three of the dams, Mica, Hugh Keenleyside and Duncan, were built as a result of the Columbia River Treaty, signed by Canada and the United States in 1964. The Treaty dams provided badly needed flood control, made possible development of power plants on the Columbia and its tributaries in B.C., and increased the potential for power generation at plants in the United States.

Cogeneration is an efficient process by which natural gas is used to produce electricity and steam. The project has environmental benefits because natural gas is a very clean-burning fuel. In comparison to other power sources cogeneration is less expensive to develope. The trade off is mostly in the delivery of natural gas to the generating facility.

Wind Turbine The wind is a clean and plentiful source of energy. The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) believes that wind energy could potentially supply up to 20% of Canada's electricity requirements. Wind turbines used to generate electricity come in a wide variety of sizes. Large wind turbines, which are usually installed in clusters called wind farms, can generate hundreds of megawatts (MW) of electricity – enough to power hundreds of homes. The biggest drawback to wind turbines is the availability of constant wind. Average wind speeds of 8 – 10 km/h are needed to produce enough electricity to be cost-effective. Many object to wind farms, calling them unsightly blights on the landscape.

Nuclear power meets more than 50% of Ontario's electricity needs. It has two major benefits – low operating costs and virtually none of the emissions that lead to smog, acid rain or global warming. These benefits make nuclear a very attractive option for meeting the province's electricity needs well into the future.
Ontario Power Generation [greybox] owns and operates the Pickering and Darlington Nuclear Power Stations. The two stations have a combined generating capacity of about 6,600 megawatts.
The questions on most peoples minds are, “Are they safe?” “How is nuclear waste managed in Canada?”

Greenhouse gas emissions can be greatly reduced many different ways. Most of the solutions involve increasing the efficiency of our energy use to reduce fossil fuel demand, while maintaining – or even improving – our lifestyles. Many of the potential solutions have benefits beyond greenhouse gas reduction, such as increased employment, stimulation of the high-tech manufacturing sector, and reduced urban air pollution.

A combination of public interest and government sponsored programs can make these solutions a reality.

Every action has a reaction. The impacts that our choices have on the world around us are determined by; what the needs are, what the demands are and the resources available to fill those needs and demands. The choices we make will have a visible lasting outcome.

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