Hydro Ottawa has been awarded a 40-year contract to expand Chaudière Falls project in Ontario, Canada.
The power purchase agreement administered by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) will see the construction of a new 29MW hydroelectric station at Chaudière Falls. Construction is expected to start in 2015, and once completed the expansion will double Hydro Ottawa's installed hydroelectric capacity to 58MW.
Hydro Ottawa applied for the contract under OPA's Electric Standard Offer Program (HESOP) Municipal Stream - a process for companies that are interested in developing hydroelectric projects on provincial Crown land - in November.
St. Catharines Hydro Generation Inc. and Renfrew Power Generation Inc. have also been awarded contracts for 4.1MW and 1.7MW hydro projects as part of the scheme.
"Waterpower is a vital component of Ontario's clean energy supply mix. The Chaudière Falls facility will contribute to Ontario's clean, modern and reliable electricity system while creating local jobs and increasing revenue for Hydro Ottawa," said Bob Chiarelli, Ontario Minister of Energy.
Water power currently accounts for around 26% of Ontario's electricity supply. There are some 200 water power facilities province-wide with a total installed capacity of 8000MW.
