Hydro Ottawa Acquires 10 Run-of-the-River Hydroelectric Facilities

The10 hydroelectric facilities, acquired from Fortis Inc., in Ontario and nearby New York State, represent 30.9 megawatts of installed operating green energy capacity. The newly-acquired Ontario assets are connected to the provincial electricity grid, while the assets in New York State provide synergies with Hydro Ottawa’s existing generation operations due to their close proximity to Ottawa.

Hydro Ottawa was already the largest municipally-owned producer of green energy in Ontario with a generation capacity of 48 megawatts, enough to power 40,000 homes a year. The acquisition aligns with Hydro Ottawa’s 2012-2016 Strategic Direction to increase the utility’s supply of clean energy to customers, and by pursuing low risk opportunities with stable long-term returns. Prior to the acquisition, Hydro Ottawa conducted extensive due diligence.

Hydro Ottawa’s renewable energy generation business proved a significant source of revenue for the company in 2014, generating nearly $20 million in revenue. In the span of three years, Hydro Ottawa has tripled its green generating capacity and diversified its revenue streams. This acquisition comes after the company’s 2014 announcement of a 40-year contract with the former Ontario Power Authority (now merged with the Independent Electricity System Operator) to expand its Chaudière Falls site with a new 29 megawatt facility.

The just-purchased Ontario assets are located in Ottawa, Rideau Lakes, Kingston (2), Gananoque and South Crosby. The New York State assets are located in Lyons Falls, Dolgeville, Philadelphia and Diana.
Run-of-the-river hydroelectric facilities have minimal impact on the environment because they don’t produce pollution or greenhouse gases. Instead they rely on the natural flow of their water source, and can generate power 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year long.

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Powerline Contact Continues to be Unforgiving – Powerline Safety Week Starts May 13 with Ontario-wide Education Campaign

ESA Powerline Safety The invisible impact of powerlines should never be underestimated. In the past decade alone, 19 people in Ontario have lost their lives from overhead powerline contact. May 13 to 19 is Powerline Safety Week, which is meant to inform people across the province to stay vigilant of powerlines when doing work at home or on the job.

"Our work in raising awareness of powerline safety won't be finished until there are zero injuries or lives lost from contact," says Dr. Joel Moody, Chief Public Safety Officer, Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). "All it takes is a misstep or careless error to change the life of you, your colleagues or family."

ABB creates state-of-the-art solution for CO2-neutral and energy self-sufficient factory of the future

ABB Eco Factory ABB has an extensive portfolio of eco-efficient solutions and services that can help decouple economic growth from environmental impacts. In fact, over half of ABB's worldwide revenues are generated by technologies that combat the causes of climate change. The company’s goal is to increase this contribution from 57 percent in 2018 to 60 percent by 2020.

The company’s commitment to combatting climate change includes limiting the environmental impact of its own operations. ABB’s current target for climate action is to reduce its own GHG emissions by 40 percent by 2020 from a 2013 baseline.

Wind Energy On Track to Add 1,000 MW of New Capacity in 2019

Canada’s wind energy industry further expanded its installed capacity in 2018, while solidifying its status as the lowest-cost source of new electricity generation. Newly commissioned projects brought total national wind energy capacity to close to 13,000 megawatts (MW). Meanwhile, competitive auction results in Saskatchewan and Alberta confirmed the wind industry’s ability to continue to deliver record-low prices.

The six wind energy projects that were powered up in 2018 added 566 MW of installed capacity — a continuation of steady growth that contributed to an average annual growth rate of 20% per year since 2008.

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