A coalition of environmental advocacy groups is urging Doug Ford’s government to conduct a full environmental assessment of the city of Toronto. The largest expansion project for a gas-fired plant.. The group argues that the expansion does not meet environmental standards and does not adequately address health and climate concerns.
The expansion plans of Portland Energy Center (PEC) by Atura Powera subsidiary of Power Generation in Ontarioaims to increase gas-fired electricity generation by 50 megawatts (MW) from its current production of 550 MW.
“I, like many other Torontonians, have asthma. “The Portland Gas Plant literally takes my breath away,” Joyce McLean said in a statement sent by the East Toronto Residents for Renewable Energy (TERRE)an environmental advocacy group that opposes the expansion.
According Environmental DefensePortlands Energy Center is now Toronto’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and the plant’s expansion will make it nearly impossible for Toronto to meet its 65 per cent emissions reduction goal by 2030.
According federal government dataThe plant’s emissions increased from 188,000 tons in 2017 to 618,000 tons in 2021. According to a report According to Environmental Defense, the plant currently emits around 439,475 tons of CO2 at 24 percent of its capacity. If it operates at 90 percent of its capacity after the expansion, emissions could reach around 1.65 million tons of CO2. Increased use could also lead to pollution exceeding three times the current level, while adding new turbines could increase it to six times current output, the report said.
Atura Power Establishes thatAccording to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), Ontario is expected to experience a power shortage due to increased demand and nuclear upgrades. The province will need an additional 4,000 MW by the end of the decade. Atura Power’s PEC upgrades aim to address this gap, providing a cost-effective solution for grid reliability, as stated on its website. Upgrading the turbines with more efficient parts will increase production capacity by 50 MW through the use of improved cooling materials to generate more electricity with the same use of natural gas, all within the space occupied by the existing facilities, according to reports. the company. added statement.
PEC was built in 2009 and improvements will be completed in the fall.
Darius Sokal, spokesman for Atura Power, said Canadian National Observer that the proposed Portland Energy Center efficiency improvements project was submitted to Ontario for review. environmental assessment process to evaluate possible harmful effects. “PEC efficiency improvements determined that there are no potential negative environmental effects resulting from the project and that, without any mitigation, all regulatory requirements will be met.”
In Ontario, a complete environmental assessment for an electrical project is a comprehensive and in-depth assessment that examines the potential impacts of the project. It involves extensive studies, public consultations and consideration of alternatives. This process is usually necessary for larger projects with significant environmental implications.
According to Environmental Defense, Portlands Energy Center is now Toronto’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and the plant’s expansion will make it nearly impossible for the city to meet its 65 per cent emissions reduction goal by 2030.
Ontario’s screening process is a less stringent preliminary assessment conducted by the company to determine whether a full environmental assessment is required. It generally applies to smaller projects or those with lower potential environmental impacts.
TERRE insists Atura’s environmental assessment report does not meet provincial requirements and the group wants Ontario Environment Minister Andrea Khanjin to demand a full review environmental evaluation review.
“Atura acknowledges receiving nearly 500 public comments on its draft report, but its final assessment report does nothing to allay key community health and climate concerns,” said TERRE member Ashley McCall. “Atura needs to listen to Torontonians.”
Last week, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and city council also asked Khanjin for a comprehensive environmental assessment of the PEC expansion, saying the final assessment report, released last month by Atura Power regarding the expansions, did not address the city’s concerns or questions about future greenhouse gas emissions and facility air contaminants and their potential impacts. about the local community. Similarly, the Portlands Energy Center improvement assessment report does not identify the levels of air pollutants to which the surrounding community will be exposed.
Canadian National Observer He contacted the Ontario Ministry of Environment for a response but did not receive comment in time for publication.