The local energy task force and the Ontario Power Authority are narrowing the gap in their energy projection needs for the impending mining boom.
On Thursday the Common Voice Energy Task Force met with the OPA and the Independent Electrical Systems Operator in Toronto to discuss just how much energy will be needed when the Ring of Fire is expected to peak.
Before Thursday’s meeting there was a 700 megawatt difference in the two parties’ predictions.
“We are very close now on overall projections for the mining load,” said task force chairman Iain Angus Thursday afternoon.
“We’re still apart on the load side but we’ve agreed to create a number of working groups to deal with loads, supply and transmission to work with the OPA and the IESO to firm up the numbers on both sides. We’re very optimistic with that.”
OPA officials had argued that some of the proposed mines aren’t as ready as the task force believed.
However, Angus said the task force was joined by representatives from the Ontario Mining Association and they made it clear to the OPA when and where the mines will happen.
The mining association invited both the OPA and the task force to their next meeting where they will walk everyone through the levels of certainty of the mines.
Angus said the working groups will get together over the next three to four weeks to hammer out areas of disagreement and firm up the areas they do agree on.
“We’ve got to work at it,” he said. “But it’s so important to the Northwest that we’re putting all our energies into making sure that we have the right kind of energy system in the Northwest that we need.”
The task force also met with Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli Thursday to discuss the future of the Thunder Bay Generating Station and the energy needs of the region.
Angus said Chiarelli asked the right questions and made the right comments about the importance of mining to the Northwest, particularly that the province needs to ensure nothing gets in the way of mining development.
“We made it very clear that at the end of the day it may have to be a public policy decision by the cabinet that decides whether or not the Thunder Bay Generating Station stays open. (Chiarelli) recognized that is one option,” he said.
Angus said under current timelines, since the plant conversion from coal to natural gas was halted last November, the Thunder Bay Generating Station will be idle for about a year after the coal-burning deadline.
