How Flexibility, Not Nuclear, Can Secure Ontario’s Electricity Future - CleanTechnica

The article discusses Ontario’s current electricity planning approach, which heavily favors expanding nuclear power to secure future reliability amid rising demand. Ontario already relies on nuclear for about 55% of its electricity, supplemented by hydro at 25%, while renewables like wind and solar remain a small fraction due to political decisions that curtailed renewable contracts in 2018. The province plans a new nuclear site in Port Hope to meet projected winter peak demands expected to rise by 65–75% by 2050, with winter peaks around 36–37 GW. The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) focuses on ensuring firm, always-available capacity during peak hours, particularly cold winter evenings, rather than on total annual energy supply. Nuclear plants, which run continuously and are not dispatchable, are counted as fully available capacity during peaks despite maintenance downtime, reflecting a conservative reliability approach that prioritizes avoiding blackouts. However, the article highlights a critical distinction between total energy demand growth and peak demand growth. While