Vanselena Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 ORONTO - Ontario was paying other jurisdictions to take its electricity on Earth Day. "That's the way we celebrate Earth Day in Ontario," energy consultant Tom Adams of tomadamsenergy.com said Monday. Ontario exported power to neighbouring utilities at a negative price for the final two hours of Earth Day - minus 0.09 cents per kWh for one hour and minus 0.023 cents per kWh for the second. Alexandra Campbell, a spokesperson for the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), said demand on Easter weekend was at its traditional low, so the province exported 3,230 megawatts of electricity late in the evening Friday. The negative export price is not available to regular Ontario consumers. Residential ratepayers in the province pay the market rate for electricity plus a special provincial global adjustment to cover extra costs, such as the guaranteed prices Ontario has agreed to pay some producers of clean energy like solar and wind. Adams said the province has been struggling with an oversupply of electricity - as potentially dangerous to the stability of the system as a shortage of power - for much of the past week. "Ontario has become a gigantic exporter of power ... there are some time periods where we rival Hydro Quebec," Adams said. "We are buying high and selling low. We sell at low prices, sometimes negative prices, power that is costing consumers substantial amounts to have produced in the first place." Given that the province pays some generators even if their electricity is not needed, it's also possible that hydro ratepayers picked up the tab for power that was never produced, he said. Adams also suspects that hundreds of megawatt hours of the province's greenest, cheapest electricity production may have been deliberately not used over the past week, including on Earth Day. Supply at the Ontario Power Generation's Niagara, Ont., facility fell dramatically as it frequently does during periods of negative pricing, suggesting that water was diverted from its turbines to lower output, Adams said. The system is increasingly turning to Niagara when it needs to quickly rid itself of excess power, he said. Neither the IESO nor OPG could immediately confirm that Niagara had diverted water from its turbines Friday, although spokespeople for both organizations said Monday that it was unlikely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oggie Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 I guess people have reduced consumption since the smart meters kicked in March 1st??? Why are we raming the wind turbines down peoples throats if we have an excess of hydro??? I just don't get it? Why do we pay people to take our hydro, isn't free good enough? Dan O. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flappn Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 That makes two of us that don't understand it. Seems all I do these days is shake my head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIFTER_016 Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 And you're surprised, why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BITEME Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 BEND OVER AGAIN NOBODY TOLD ME I COULD LET GO OF MY ANKLES ALWAYS THE LAST TO KNOW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThisPlaceSucks Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 we are producing a surplus because we as we generate more and more power via "green" resources, we can phase out dirty energy such as coal. that said, you'd think if someone would get a price break, it would be the residents of the province.. what a scam! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbles Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 Wouldn't it be smarter to just lowerthe generation rate as opposed to paying someone to take it? There has to be something to this, does anyone know why this happens, seems too simple???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grt1 Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 I copied the post and sent it to my MPP, Howard Hampton. He is such an opponent of the ontario hydro policies, just thought I'd give him some ammo and see what he comes up with. I bet they don't bill the power company they sell to the cost of delivery from site and the cost of delivery to consumer or any debt reduction either. probably don't charge hst either. Why bother the other providers when they can stick it to the little guys . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookinforwalleye Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 we are producing a surplus because we as we generate more and more power via "green" resources, we can phase out dirty energy such as coal. that said, you'd think if someone would get a price break, it would be the residents of the province.. what a scam! The Liberals are well know for running good scams!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bailey Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 The Liberals are well know for running good scams!!! If I recall correctly this practise of paying to get rid of excess electricity was going on before they came to power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookinforwalleye Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 Could be I just can`t stand Liberal`s and I blame them for anything and everything!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigdritchie Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 (edited) The Liberals are well know for running good scams!!! Liberals are known for running a lot of things, but efficient and cost-effective government isn't among them. That particularly applies to healthcare and public utilities. Another view of McGuinty's hydro fiasco ... And another ... Another one here ..... Yet another ... It doesn't end!! Okay, okay - last one for now I don't believe everything I read, but I do believe that where there's smoke, there's probably a few sparks. This guy has been dropping the ball from day one. Between stupid stuff like this, and losing $1 billion in the e-health fiasco, and promising not to raise my taxes ..... provincial election is in October and I'm looking forward to sending Pinocchio a personal message by way of the ballot box. Edited April 26, 2011 by Craig_Ritchie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIFTER_016 Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 I'm looking forward to sending Pinocchio a personal message by way of the ballot box. Yes but do you think the rest of the sheeple in Ontario will? After all they re-elected that putz even after he fornicated them the first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nofish4me Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 Wouldn't it be smarter to just lowerthe generation rate as opposed to paying someone to take it? There has to be something to this, does anyone know why this happens, seems too simple???? Not so easy to turn off nuclear reactors. Listen to the news lately?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bacon Posted April 28, 2011 Report Share Posted April 28, 2011 we are producing a surplus because we as we generate more and more power via "green" resources, we can phase out dirty energy such as coal. that said, you'd think if someone would get a price break, it would be the residents of the province.. what a scam! I think it has more to do with reduced demand due to the collapse of our manufacturing sector. Not so easy to turn off nuclear reactors. Listen to the news lately?? How about coal fired plants ... or were they all shut down in 2007? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now