NIAGARA FALLS, ON, Aug. 8, 2006 -- Canada NewsWire

 

Ontario Power Generation today announced that the world's largest hard rock tunnel boring machine, "Big Becky", has been fully assembled and will soon be ready to begin boring the 10.4 kilometre Niagara Tunnel. When completed the Tunnel will add more renewable electricity from Ontario Power Generation's Sir Adam Beck generating stations located at Queenston.

The Niagara Tunnel project is expected to be completed and supplying water for the generation of more electricity by late 2009. Big Becky will bore a tunnel 14.4 metres in diameter at a depth of up to 140 metres below the City of Niagara Falls. The tunnel will enhance the original engineering accomplishment of the Sir Adam Beck stations by transporting water beneath the Niagara Escarpment so that this water can be used to increase the stations' electricity output.

"We're proud of this project and the contribution it will make to Ontario's energy supply," said OPG President and CEO Jim Hankinson. "When completed, the Niagara Tunnel will enable our Sir Adam Beck stations to produce an additional 1.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, or enough for 160,000 homes."

"A clean, reliable and sustainable energy supply is key to our economic growth - our very way of life," said Premier McGuinty. "By creating the Niagara Tunnel, we're increasing our province's power supply, strengthening our prosperity and building opportunity for Ontario families."

Average annual energy output from the Sir Adam Beck Complex is expected to be increased by 14 per cent.

Ontario Power Generation Inc. is an Ontario-based electricity generation company whose principal business is the generation and sale of electricity in Ontario. Our focus is on the efficient production and sale of electricity from our generation assets, while operating in a safe, open and environmentally responsible manner.

SOURCE: Ontario Power Generation Inc.

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