Falconbridge is one of Ontario Hydro’s largest customers, largely because of the Kidd Creek copper and zinc refineries at Timmins. It needs that power to survive. So when the company foresees a power shortage ahead, the matter goes straight to the top — President and Chief Executive Officer Bill James.
James is concerned that Ontario could face an electricity shortage in the coming decade simply because of a lack of planning and decision by the provincial government and its agencies.
“It appears to me that both the ministry and Hydro have overreacted to past accusations of erring on the high side,” said James at a recent conference sponsored by the Association of Major Power Consumers in Ontario. ” They are now into a cycle of erring on the low side and the consequences to Ontario industry and jobs could be devastating.” Projections indicate that by the mid-1990s there will be a shortage of electricity in Ontario. When the Darlington nuclear station east of Toronto opens, it will only meet the growing demand created by Ontario’s booming economy for a couple of years.
In order to service future economic growth, an assured supply of reasonably priced electricity is essential.
Hydro has been projecting growth in demand of just under 3% with a chance of demand reaching 4% in spite of the fact that demand has increased 5% annually for the past six years.
Unfortunately, the long lead times needed to provide future electricity means that some tough decisions have to be made today. Unless the province faces up to that fact soon, says James, the Ontario Energy Management Branch could become tomorrow’s Energy Rationing Branch.
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