OEB orders Hydro One to present historical info

Orangeville Citizen
April 10, 2008
Dan Pelton

OEB orders Hydro One to present historical info

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) has ordered Hydro One Networks Inc. to provide historical information in support of its proposed new transmission line from the Bruce nuclear power plants to its Milton switching station.

The OEB decision was handed down Monday after Pollution Probe presented a motion last week requesting historical information relating to the capacity and output of the Bruce nuclear power stations and each of the units from January, 1984, to the present.

Hydro One had replied that it had consulted with the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and Ontario Power Authority (OPA), found neither had data prior to 2002 and therefore was only able to provide information from that date.

Hydro One is applying to construct 180 kilometres of double-circuit 500 kilovolt transmission lines adjacent to the existing 500 kV line. It says that increased capacity at Bruce, the result of two refurbished generating units the plant plans to activate to compliment the current six already in use, makes such an addition necessary.

Hydro One also points to what it says is close to 1,700 megawatts of committed wind energy in the area that would also need to be transmitted by the lines.

Pollution Probe argues that, at one time, eight generating units were operating at Bruce and the current lines were able to handle the capacity.

Since both Bruce Nuclear and Ontario Power Generation (OPG) - the owner of the former Ontario Hydro facility and its operator from 1999 to 2001 - were intervenors in the OEB hearings, Hydro One said it acted responsibly by only approaching IESO and OPA for information.

The OEB disagrees and has ordered Hydro One to file complete responses to each request, or interrogatory, listed in the Board's decision and order. It has called for today as the deadline for the responses.

Hydro One, which along with OPG are publicly owned portions left following Ontario Hydro's break-up by the Harris government, must inform the Board and intervenors regarding the status of the environmental assessment process no later than next Thursday.

Intervenors and Board staff who wish to present evidence relevant to the proceeding, must file that evidence with the Board and deliver it to Hydro One and the other intervenors on or before Friday, April 18.

OPG spokesman John Earl said OPG had chosen to be a intervenor in order to monitor the proceedings, and says the company has no problem forwarding any information necessary to the proceedings.

"OPG will co-operate with Hydro One, if they should request any information," says Mr. Earl.

The OEB ruling leaves several intervenors elated.

"It's an excellent decision," says Pollution Probe's Jack Gibbons, who is also chair of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance. "OEB is standing up for Ontario consumers. They are not going to just be a rubber stamp for the nuclear industry."

Mr. Gibbons contends that Hydro's figures regarding generated energy, both nuclear and wind, are "just plain wrong. We need to know the historic information."

Chris Pappas, an intervenor and resident of Rocklyn, says "the board's decision is very right.

"From the beginning, Hydro One has been withholding evidence appropriate to the consideration and resolution of this issue."