November 9, 2006 -
Toronto -- New findings about Ontario’s electricity demand show conservation and a more intelligent use of the existing grid are better than building more nuclear power plants, the David Suzuki Foundation says.
A new report from Dr. Peter Love, Ontario’s Chief Energy Conservation Officer, shows electricity use has dropped 2.5 per cent in the province from 2005 to 2006. The report, titled A New Era In Electricity Conservation, also shows peak demand has dropped by about 950 megawatts since 2004. Initial steps to encourage conservation have yielded impressive gains. Concerted efforts to increase conservation could make a much bigger difference.
“Ontario had planned to expand its nuclear plants based on estimates that electricity use would grow about one per cent per year through 2015,” says Jose Etcheverry, researcher and policy analyst with the David Suzuki Foundation. “But this report shows demand can drop significantly if we act decisively and provide practical tools and opportunities for Ontarians to use electricity efficiently.”
The findings challenge the need for more nuclear power generation.
“Three complementary strategies can help make Ontario’s electricity grid more efficient,” says Mr. Etcheverry. “One, encourage and reward conservation. Second, develop renewable energy options, and third, use distributed generation, with generators closer to where people live and work which makes the grid more reliable and reduces the need for transmission and distribution networks. Those three things will put Ontario at the vanguard of the electricity sector worldwide.”
For more information, please contact: Jose Etcheverry
Researcher and policy analyst
Tel: 416-977-7290
jetcheverry@davidsuzuki.org Justin Smallbridge
Communication Specialist
Tel: 604-732-4228 x.237
jsmallbridge@davidsuzuki.org