Hydro output for the Canadian provincial utility increased almost by a quarter to 8.9TWh in the three months ended 30 September.
The output was split 4.7TWh for the stations supplying on regulated market prices, and 4.2TWh for the unregulated market, the increase from last time coming mostly through the 50% jump in the latter from 2.8TWh in Q3-'07. Average electricity sale prices were little changed for each segment compared to last time.
However, plant availability in the stations supplying on the regulated prices decreased to 93.9% from 97.4% in the comparable quarter last year. Availability improved slightly, to 93.5%, for the unregulated stations.
Combined with the company's increased generation from nuclear assets, the improvement in hydro power generation in Q3 was able to bring down generation from its thermal plants by 24% to 6.2TWh.
Alternative options continue to be studied in excavation of the Niagara tunnel due to geological difficulties. Contract revisions are being negotiated and are expected to be agreed early next year.
OPG is also upgrading four hydro power plants that have powerhouses at the end of their useful lives. The demolition, rebuild and upgrade from 23MW to 44MW is budgeted at approximately Can$300M (US$242M). The plants are on the Upper Mattagami and Montreal rivers.
