Ontario has taken the next major step forward to implementing the government’s 20-year Long-Term Energy Plan, Building Our Clean Energy Future. This will help keep the lights on in our homes, businesses, schools and hospitals, create thousands of new, good jobs in Ontario, and clean up the air we breathe.

The province has issued the final directive that requires the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) to implement the key aspects of the supply mix. That means the OPA will consult with partners and the public as it develops the comprehensive energy plan for submission to the Ontario Energy Board later this year.

Key elements of the long-term energy plan include:

• Closing all coal units by 2014 and fast-tracking the closure of two more coal units in 2011, three years ahead of schedule;
• Building the largest expansion in hydroelectric power in almost 40 years, with major projects such as the Niagara Tunnel Project and the Lower Mattagami River hydro expansion;
• Securing clean and reliable nuclear power as a baseload for half of Ontario’s power supply;
• Creating more than 50,000 jobs in the clean energy economy — more than 13,000 to date;
• Helping reduce costs for consumers and making the power system more efficient through conservation by targeting 7,100 megawatts and 28 terawatt-hours of conservation by 2030 — the equivalent of taking 2.4 million homes off the grid.

The plan also includes increasing Ontario’s renewable power supply from sources like wind, solar and bio-energy by 10 per cent, up to 10,700 megawatts. To help achieve this target the Ontario Power Authority will move forward shortly with the next round of clean energy contracts.

The province is also instructing Hydro One to move forward immediately with several priority transmission projects. This will bring more clean power online, serve changing demand, and ensure reliability. These projects include upgrades to existing lines and building a new one west of London, and upgrades in Southwestern Ontario. Hydro One will also immediately begin upgrading key transformer stations. These improvements will enable the connection of small-scale renewable energy projects across the province.

To help Ontarians manage the costs of turning on more clean power, the government is:

• Taking 10 per cent off monthly electricity bills for families, farms and small businesses over the next five years with the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit
• Moving the Time-of-Use off-peak period for electricity to 7 p.m. This will provide an additional 10 hours every week in the lowest cost period.