On June 13, after 6 months of review, Ontario Energy Minister Dwight Duncan responded lto the OPA's Advice on the supply mix for Ontario. He has accepted the Advice, with some revisions, and directed the OPA to proceed with the development of the Integtrated Power System Plan (IPSP). The IPSP will outline the projects necessary to maintain the electricity system for the next 20 years and will be updated every 3 years. The IPSP will be reviewed and approved by the OEB.
In his directive to the OPA, the Minister has doubled the conservation targets relative to the OPA Advice and limits the nuclear capacity to 14,000 MW, the same as it is today. OPG has been directed to undertake feasibility studies for the refurbishment of its reactors at Pickering and Darlington and to begin the work needed for an Environmental Assessment for new build nuclear at an existing site.
Government has also accepted the IESO's advice in their most recent Reliability Outlook that an additional 2,500 to 3,000 MW of capacity is required to maintain system reliability. Therefore, government will delay the closure of the remaining coal units and has referred the question of the timing of this closure back to the OPA for consideration asking them to prepare a plan to phase out coal at the earliest practical date.