Thanks to the leadership of Premier Dalton McGuinty, Ontario is now well positioned to end coal-fired electricity generation by 2010 -- five years ahead of the province's official deadline.
According to the Independent Electricity System Operator, Ontario’s coal-free generating capacity will exceed peak demand in 2009 by 7%. Almost 4,000 megawatts of additional coal-free generation will come online by 2010, leaving Ontario very comfortably positioned to idle coal use at that time.
Ending coal use five years ahead of the government’s official 2014 deadline would be the greenhouse gas emissions reduction equivalent of taking 2.5 million cars off the road during that time.
This report lays out the case for an early end to coal use and provides recommendations for further actions that can help ensure an early coal phase out.
