TORONTO, Feb. 1 /CNW/ - Mayor David Miller says the Ontario government should be innovative when addressing future electricity needs instead of planning for a traditional gas-fired mega-power plant in the City of Toronto.

"We have to keep the lights on in Toronto, but we have to examine this properly and look to the long-term," the Mayor said. "If we don't take this approach, we'll be repeating the mistakes made in the past."

Ontario Power Generation and TransCanada Corp. have proposed building a 550-megawatt generating station near the site of the old Hearn power plant on Toronto's eastern waterfront. But the Mayor said that what is needed is a comprehensive strategy that combines new generation and conservation. This is a better alternative to a new mega-plant.

Toronto Hydro has confirmed they can conserve 200 megawatts by 2008 through aggressive demand management. And, rather than pushing ahead with plans for a new mega-plant in the port lands, the province should consider refurbishing the existing Hearn facility on Unwin Avenue. This upgrade could provide the remaining 350 megawatts that Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator has deemed necessary to supply the city sufficient peak energy.

"This is a serious issue and we want to work with the province to find a solution," the Mayor said. "We need additional capacity in Toronto because of the nature of the power grid, but - more importantly - we need to address our energy consumption. There are realistic measures that can be undertaken with appropriate provincial funding that would significantly reduce our energy consumption and assist with load management."

Blair Peberdy, vice-president of Toronto Hydro, said the city utility is a leader in proving there is an appetite for conservation programs. "We know much more is possible," he added. "We've delivered 134 megawatts of conservation in the past 12 months and that's significantly more than any other utility in the province. We believe if a sustainable plan that includes sufficient generation, conservation and local green initiatives is presented to the community, there will be support."

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