hydroelectricity in Canada

{{see also|List of hydroelectric power stations in Canada}}

BC Hydro owns and operates the majority of hydroelectric installations in British Columbia. A second crown corporation, Columbia Power Corporation and two companies also own large dams in BC, Alcan's Kemano Project and FortisBC.

90% of BC Hydro's generation is produced by hydroelectric means. Natural gas and biomass thermal power round out the generation portfolio.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bchydro.com:80/energy_in_bc/our_system/generation.html|title=Generation System|website=BC Hydro|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503163806/http://www.bchydro.com/energy_in_bc/our_system/generation.html|archive-date=May 3, 2012|url-status=live|access-date=January 19, 2020}}

Over 80% of BC Hydro's installed in generating capacity is at hydroelectric installations in the Peace and Columbia River basins. The GM Shrum and Peace Canyon generating stations are on the Peace River produced 29% of BC Hydro's electricity requirements. In the Columbia River Basin, Mica and Revelstoke hydroelectric plants together contributed 25%, while Kootenay Canal and Seven Mile generating stations together supplied 10%.[http://www.bchydro.com/e ergy_in_bc/our_system/generation.html BC Hydro Generation System]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Retrieved 2012-03-05

The remaining 25 hydroelectric generating stations supplied 14% of electricity production. BC Hydro also operates thermal power plants. The Burrard Thermal Generating Station contributes 7.5% and the remaining 14.5% of the electricity requirement was supplied by purchases and other transactions.

BC Hydro's last dam was completed in 1984, since then run-of-the-river projects with private partners have been built. Power production without reservoirs varies dramatically through the year, so older dams with large reservoirs, retain water and average out capacity. As of 2012, there were approximately 40 small hydro sites generating 750 MW.{{Cite web|url=http://www.energybc.ca/profiles/runofriver.html#rorworld|title = Run of River Hydropower - EnergyBC}} By 2014 various companies have built a total of 100 run of the river projects under 50 MW. In 2014 they produced 18,000 GWh from 4,500 MW of capacity.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bchydro.com/energy-in-bc/acquiring_power/meeting_energy_needs/how_power_is_acquired.html |title=About Independent Power Projects |access-date=2016-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206095445/https://www.bchydro.com/energy-in-bc/acquiring_power/meeting_energy_needs/how_power_is_acquired.html |archive-date=2016-02-06 |url-status=dead }}

Present drought conditions persist in BC Hydro hydrodam reservoirs, particularly in the south coast of the province.{{Cite news |date=October 13, 2022 |title=B.C. Hydro looks to protect fish as drought leaves some reservoirs at record-low levels |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-hydro-looks-to-protect-fish-as-drought-leaves-some-reservoirs-at-record-low-levels-1.6614626}} In a 2022 BC Hydro report titled "Casting Drought", it is noted that Campbell River on Vancouver Island has experienced its lowest water flow in 53 years. Despite these conditions, BC Hydro spokesperson Mora Scott states that preventative measures such as water conservation have been made in order to protect water flow and fish populations in vulnerable watersheds.

As of March 31, 2018, Manitoba Hydro serves a peak Manitoba electrical load of 5,648 megawatts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hydro.mb.ca/corporate/ar/|title=Manitoba Hydro Annual Report 2017–18|website=www.hydro.mb.ca|language=en|access-date=2019-03-21}} Electrical supply to Manitoba customers was 22.5 terawatt-hours in fiscal 2017, with total revenue due to electricity of $1.464 billion CAD. Extraprovincial sales totaled $437 million in 2017-18 and were at 9.448 terawatt-hours, with normal water flows.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hydro.mb.ca/corporate/ar/pdf/annual_report_2017_18.pdf|title=Manitoba Hydro Annual Report 2017–18|website=www.hydro.mb.ca|page=34|language=en|access-date=2019-03-21|archive-date=2019-02-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220110319/https://www.hydro.mb.ca/corporate/ar/pdf/annual_report_2017_18.pdf|url-status=dead}} The company also delivered 2.048 billion cubic metres of natural gas in 2017–18, which contributed $346 million CAD to revenues.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hydro.mb.ca/corporate/ar/pdf/annual_report_2017_18.pdf|title=Manitoba Hydro Annual Report 2017–18|website=www.hydro.mb.ca|page=27,42|language=en|access-date=2019-03-21|archive-date=2019-02-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220110319/https://www.hydro.mb.ca/corporate/ar/pdf/annual_report_2017_18.pdf|url-status=dead}} As of early 2020, around 97% of the electricity generation in Manitoba comes from hydroelectricity.{{Cite web|title=The Main Electricity Sources in Canada by Province|url=https://energyrates.ca/the-main-electricity-sources-in-canada-by-province/|date=2018-11-30|website=EnergyRates.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-06}} The new Keeyask Station on the Nelson River was completed in 2021-2022.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hydro.mb.ca/projects/keeyask/|title = Keeyask Generating Station}}https://keeyask.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/KPMU-Newsletter_SPRING-2022_web-final.pdf

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro's installed generating capacity, 8,652 megawatts (MW), 92 percent hydroelectric, is the third largest of all utility companies in Canada. The new Muskrat Falls Generating Station with a total generating capacity of 824 MW was completed in 2020.{{cite web | url=https://vocm.com/2021/11/29/muskrat-falls-station/ | title=Hydro Announces Completion of Muskrat Falls Generating Station }}

The Northwest Territories has an installed hydroelectric generating capacity of 55 MW, supplying electricity to the North Slave and South Slave electricity grids. Each grid operates independently and is not connected to the electrical grid in the rest of Canada.

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) produces 50% of the electricity used in the province, 40% from hydroelectric, 10% from nuclear-powered facilities, 30% from solar, and 20% from biomass. OPG uses thermal plants that burn biomass and natural gas with a generating capacity of 2,458 MW; these plants were not used in 2015.{{Cite web |title=Generating Power with Purpose |url=https://www.opg.com/powering-ontario/our-generation/ |publisher=Ontario Power Generation}}

After a provincial government commitment to phase out all coal generating plants, two units at Nanticoke were shut down in fall 2010.{{cite news| url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/690432 | location=Toronto | work=The Star | first=Tanya | last=Talaga | title=Ontario shuts 4 coal-fired units | date=3 September 2009}} Another two were shut down in 2011.{{cite web|title=Ontario's Long-Term Energy Plan|url=http://www.mei.gov.on.ca/en/pdf/MEI_LTEP_en.pdf|publisher=Government of Ontario|accessdate=22 August 2012|year=2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904224133/http://www.mei.gov.on.ca/en/pdf/MEI_LTEP_en.pdf|archive-date=4 September 2012|url-status=dead}} The final four were shut down on December 31, 2013.{{cite web|title=OPG'S NANTICOKE STATION STOPS BURNING COAL|url=http://www.opg.com/news/releases/140108NanticokeStopBurningCoal.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116114545/http://www.opg.com/news/releases/140108NanticokeStopBurningCoal.pdf |archive-date=2014-01-16 |url-status=dead |publisher=Ontario Power Generation |accessdate=18 April 2014|year=2014}}

Most of Ontario's large hydroelectric sites were utilized in the early 20th century,{{Cite news |last=McClearn |first=Matthew |date=February 13, 2023 |title=Ontario Power Generation urges province to move ahead with new power projects |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-ontario-power-generation-urges-province-to-move-ahead-with-new-power/#:~:text=Ontario%20exploited%20most%20of%20its,comprise%20the%20majority%20of%20that.}} which limits exenstive expansion from occurring within the province. Nonetheless, efforts by the Government of Canada in collaboration with hydropower entities to expand and maintain hydroelectric resources have been put in motion. This is partly driven by the fact that Ontario is forecasted to have a 60 TWh increase in net energy demand by 2043.{{Cite web |title=IESO Annual Planning Report 2022: Ontario's Electricity System Needs: 2024–2043 |url=https://www.ieso.ca/-/media/Files/IESO/Document-Library/planning-forecasts/apo/Dec2022/2022-Annual-Planning-Outlook.ashx |location=Toronto |publisher=Independent Electricity System Operator |date=28 December 2022 |orig-date=December 2022}}

File:Zig Zag Rapid on the Little Jackfish - panoramio.jpg on Little Jackfish River]]

Ontario's current hydroelectricity stations are mainly located in southern Ontario.{{Cite web |title=Provincial-Territorial Energy Profiles |date=24 August 2023 |url=https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/provincial-territorial-energy-profiles/provincial-territorial-energy-profiles-ontario.html |publisher=Government of Canada (which owns "cer-rec.gc.ca")}}

On January 26, 2022, Todd Smith, the Ontario Minister of Energy requested an analysis report from IESO in support of a voluntary clean energy credit registry for Ontario citizens.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Todd |date=January 28, 2022 |title=Letter from the Ministry of Energy |url=https://www.ieso.ca/-/media/Files/IESO/Document-Library/corporate/ministerial-directives/Letter-from-the-Minister-of-Energy-MC-994-2021-717.ashx |format=PDF}} CECs are claimable credits that represent one megawatt hour of clean energy.{{Cite web |date=August 2, 2022 |title=Development of a Clean Energy Credit Registry |url=https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-5816 |publisher=Government of Canada (which owns "ontario.ca")}} According to the report requirements outlined in the letter, the registry would include credit offerings that based from existing, non-emitting generation such as nuclear, waterpower, wind, solar, and bioenergy.

On February 9, 2023, a report titled Made in Ontario Northern Hydroelectric Opportunities: Securing a Clean Energy Future Through Hydropower was published by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) in collaboration with the Ontario Waterpower Association. In response to Todd Smith's letter. The report claimed that the estimated hydroelectric potential in northern Ontario is 3000 to 4000 megawatts.{{Cite book |title=Made in Ontario Northern Hydroelectric Opportunities: Securing a Clean Energy Future Through Hydropower |url=https://www.opg.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Northern-Hydro-Opportunities-Report.2022_FINAL-ua.pdf |location=Toronto |publisher=Ontario Power Generation Inc. |date=November 2022}} The document also provided the following locations as possible sites for hydroelectric development.

Little Jackfish River in particular had been an OPG ongoing project since 2011,2011. Project Description of Little Jackfish Hydroelectric Development. Retrieved from: https://littlejackfish.com/supporting_docs.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130917233842/http://littlejackfish.com/supporting_docs.html |date=2013-09-17 }} but had been put on hold as energy demands at that time were insufficient. However, with forecasted new demands, the revival of the project may be considered feasible by the Government of Canada.

While the instalment of hydroelectric stations in northern Ontario could potentially meet rising energy demands, public concerns over the environmental damage caused by hydroelectric activities are present.

The Ontario River Alliance opposes the creation of new hydroelectric facilities in Ontario, insisting that labeling hydroelectric power as a non-emitting source for CRCs is misinformation and that dams do generate greenhouse gasses by the accumulation of methane producing biomass.{{Cite web |title=Reply to: Hydroelectric and Its 'Pathway to Decarbonization' |url=https://www.ontarioriversalliance.ca/hydroelectric-and-its-pathway-to-decarbonization/#more-9776 |publisher=Ontario River Alliance |date=23 February 2023}} This claim is based on a 2006 European study that correlates increased methane production of 7% to the accumulation of sedimentation behind hydraulic structures.{{Cite journal |vauthors=Maeck A, DelSontro T, McGinnis DF, Fischer H, Flury S, Schmidt M, Fietzek P, Lorke A |date=June 25, 2013 |title=Sediment trapping by dams creates methane emission hot spots |url=https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/es4003907 |journal=Environmental Science & Technology |volume=47 |issue=15 |pages=8130–8137 |doi=10.1021/es4003907|pmid=23799866 |bibcode=2013EnST...47.8130M }}      

Hydro-Québec's extensive network of 61 hydroelectric dams have a combined capacity of 38,400 megawatts,{{Cite web|url = https://canadahydro.ca/facts/|title = Facts - Canadian Hydropower. Electricity that is clean, renewable and reliable|website = Canadian Hydropower. Electricity that is clean, renewable and reliable|language = en-US|access-date = 2016-04-07|archive-date = 2016-04-22|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160422064416/https://canadahydro.ca/facts/|url-status = dead}} accounting for over half of the Canadian total. Hydropower accounts for 95.73%{{cite web|url=http://www.hydroquebec.com/sustainable-development/documentation/pdf/etiquette_achats_en.pdf |title=Hydro-Québec's Electricity Facts: Energy Supplies and Air Emissions |author=Hydro-Québec |year=2007 |accessdate=2009-05-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100827222630/http://www.hydroquebec.com/sustainable-development/documentation/pdf/etiquette_achats_en.pdf |archivedate=2010-08-27 }} of the supply sold by the Quebec Crown-owned utility. Five of Hydro-Québec's hydroelectric facilities are rated above 2,000 MW — the Manic-5, La Grande-4, La Grande-3 La Grande-2-A and Robert-Bourassa stations — while 7 others have a capacity of over 1,000 megawatts.{{cite book|url = http://www.hydroquebec.com/publications/en/annual_report/pdf/annual-report-2013.pdf|title = Hydro Quebec: Annual Report, 2013|location = Montreal|author = Hydro-Québec}}

The proposed Gull Island facility would consist of a generation station with a capacity of 2,250 MW after 2035.{{Cite web|url=https://nalcorenergy.com/nalcor-operations/lower-churchill-project/|title=At a Glance|access-date=2017-02-09|archive-date=2017-02-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211155202/https://nalcorenergy.com/nalcor-operations/lower-churchill-project/|url-status=dead}}

The Romaine River project in Quebec started construction in 2009 and will have a capacity of 1550 MW by 2023.

The Site C dam on the Peace River in British Columbia will have a capacity of 1100 MW in 2025.

{{Importance section|date=July 2023}}

Image:Déversoir, Centrale hydro-électrique Robert-Bourassa.jpg|The Robert-Bourassa (LG-2) spillway, on Quebec's La Grande River.

Image: Centrale RB Intérieur.jpg|Inside the Robert-Bourassa generating station powerhouse, the largest in North America with an installed capacity of 5,616 MW.

Image: Barrage Daniel-Johnson2 edited.jpg|The Daniel-Johnson Dam, on Quebec's Manicouagan River (1968)

Image: Centrale du Rocher-de-Grand-Mère.jpg|The 230-MW Rocher-de-Grand-Mère station, on Quebec's Saint-Maurice River (2004)

Image: HQ - Centrale de Rapide-Blanc 2.jpg|The 204-MW Rapide-Blanc generating station, on Quebec's Saint-Maurice River (1934)

Image: Arrow Lakes Generating Station, British Columbia, Canada.jpg|A hydroelectric dam on the Arrow Lakes in British Columbia.

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{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/2016/01/a-view-of-canadian-hydroelectric-generation-markets.html A View of Canadian Hydroelectric Generation Markets - 2016]

• Desbiens, Caroline. Power from the North: Territory, Identity, and the Culture of Hydroelectricity in Quebec (2014)
• Froschauer, Karl. White gold: Hydroelectric Power in Canada. (Vancouver: UBC Press, 1999) [https://books.google.com/books?id=P0_dC6ObztAC excerpt and text search]

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