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In this section, you'll find relevant industry news, photos and videos that relate to our capital projects, our application, and the regulatory process.
May 16, 2013
There's more you should know:
- Toronto Hydro submitted documents to the Ontario Energy Board with a formatting error listing Mr. Haines' credentials.
- The summarized Curriculum Vitae filed with the regulator has not influenced regulatory outcomes.
- Mr. Haines has never represented that he holds a degree and does not use acronym credentials (B.Comm) behind his name.
- Mr. Haines' resume, the one he used to apply for his job to Toronto Hydro in 2005, does not indicate that he earned a Bachelor of Commerce.
- Mr. Haines completed courses at the University of Alberta at Calgary under the Bachelor of Commerce program, which were transferred to the University of Lethbridge where he focussed on prerequisite courses for admission into the Institute of Chartered Accountants. He also completed one year of articling with an accounting firm.
- Toronto Hydro Corporation Chairman David Williams said the Company has reviewed all the documents it has on file and is "absolutely, totally confident in the leadership of Anthony as the CEO of this organization and stand on the track record of his 30-year career."
- Under Mr. Haines' leadership, the company has reduced its staffing levels, and increased its infrastructure spending while reducing operating expenses.
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April 3, 2013
Toronto Hydro-Electric System receives decision on its 2012 and 2013 Rate Application
Toronto Hydro News release
Toronto Hydro received the Ontario Energy Board's (OEB) Decision and Order for its application for the 2012 and 2013 capital infrastructure plan (ICM) and also for its application for Bremner Transformer Station in downtown Toronto.
The OEB has strongly endorsed Toronto Hydro’s capital investment program, its methodology and execution. Citing the strength of the utility’s evidence, the OEB supports the investment program which is intended to enhance safety and reliability of the distribution system for the benefit of customers and employees.
The decision provides for an increase in capital spending to address aging electricity distribution infrastructure, and allows for the construction of the new Bremner Transformer station in downtown Toronto to relieve existing stations and provide for future load growth in the area. Bremner Station will be the first transformer station built in downtown Toronto since the 1960's.
In addition to Bremner Station, Toronto Hydro received approval for a number of projects, including:
Due to the complexity and length of the decision, Toronto Hydro will need some time to review it in detail, analyze its meaning for the business and the impact on rates. Toronto Hydro appreciates the careful consideration that the OEB has given the application.
+ For a detailed list of approved projects as well as those denied, please read the OEB's decision and order.
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February 19, 2013
Toronto Hydro makes pitch for $272 million transformer project
Toronto Star, John Spears
This week, Toronto Hydro’s proposed Bremner transformer station is before the Ontario Energy Board. In this article, Spears highlights Toronto Hydro’s justification for the project. The utility says Bremner would address capacity constraints; additional load growth in the downtown core; provide required back up power for the downtown core; mitigate the risk of a lengthy outage that could last for at least three months; and rebuild aging infrastructure. Critics argue that hefty construction costs of the new transformer station could be avoided through conservation and local generation projects.
There’s more you should know:
- The potential consequences of inaction, deferral or embarking on an alternative include an increased risk of sustained power outages to the downtown core, directly impacting key customers including the Toronto Stock Exchange and the headquarters of at least four of Canada’s leading banking institutions, Union Station, the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC), Rogers Centre and Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
- The most cost effective and viable options to enable both Windsor switchgear replacement and address future capacity needs are: the construction of Bremner TS or the expansion of the existing Esplanade TS and Strachan TS. Bremner is preferable because of the electrically central location of the station; the ability to back-up feeders from adjacent substations and the need to provide back-up power to Windsor TS while switchgear is replaced.
- Bremner Station, if constructed, would relieve Windsor Station in order to conduct necessary maintenance, and supply new load, and provide redundancy in the event of failure.
+ For more information, please read Toronto Hydro’s backgrounder on Bremner Transformer Station Project.
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February 19, 2013
Environmental groups urge the Ontario Energy Board to put energy conservation first in hearings into Toronto Hydro's Bremner transformer station
Media release, Environmental Defence and Toronto Environmental Alliance
In this release, the Environmental Defence and Toronto Environmental Alliance are asking the Ontario Energy Board to consider energy efficiency and local energy generation as a cheaper and greener option to address capacity constraints and increasing load growth.
There’s more you should know:
The Ontario Power Authority and Toronto Hydro have both developed and implemented complementary projects over the past few years. The major program portfolios are:
1. Conservation
2. Demand Response
3. Distributed Energy
In the shorter term, where committed projects are known, the potential impact of the project is taken into account in the forecasts. Committed generation projects are easier to quantify, as their location and size are clear and potential contributions could be estimated from signed agreements. At this time, Toronto Hydro takes into consideration new committed generation projects that are over 10MW in size when performing the forecast. Once the unit is in service, in the absence of physical assurance of operation, the actual impact on the bus load is reflected in the actual historical bus load data and therefore it is accounted for in the forecast. Where CDM 10 projects are installed and commissioned, the actual impact on bus load is reflected in the actual historical bus load data, and therefore accounted for in the forecasts.
Anticipated Growth
For the first three years of forecast period new loads are added only when Toronto Hydro has direct knowledge of new customer connections by means of requests. This mechanism enables Toronto Hydro to forecast the immediate need of distribution system while forecasting long term growth using a calculated load growth rate.
Downtown Toronto is a focal point of development, growth and urbanization. Toronto has recently experienced a surge of both residential and non-residential growth with construction cranes maintaining a constant presence on the City’s skyline. As result, increases in electrical demand will be experienced by Toronto Hydro in the near future.
City of Toronto Vision
Toronto’s Official Plan, which came into force in June 2006, is a road map for how the city will develop over the next 20 years. Most of the new developments will take place in target areas such as the downtown Toronto area. As result of the Official Plan, Toronto’s development industry is strong and continually invests in new projects in the City. In the 4½ years after Official Plan came into force, 1,696 development projects, with 106,848 residential units and over 4.23 million m2 of non-residential gross floor area (“GFA”) proposed, have been submitted to the City Planning Division for approval.
Transformer Stations in urban areas
It is a common approach to integrate transformer stations in their surroundings. When compared to the ‘open air’ approach, the site-integrated solutions have the benefit of better aesthetic integration into the surrounding urban architecture and reduced noise impact to the surroundings. Many metropolitan utilities have utilized this approach in their transformer station implementations. New York City’s Con Edison recently completed construction of a site-integrated substation in 2012.
+ Read Toronto Hydro’s evidence for Bremner Transformer Station in our latest rate application
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January 3, 2013
Downtown Toronto could face major blackout without new Bremner transformer station
John Spears, The Toronto Star
This article explores Toronto Hydro’s proposed Bremner Station and the issues related to moving ahead with its construction.
Some background to the application:
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Toronto Hydro requires $195 million to construct the new Bremner transformer station near the Rogers Centre. Toronto Hydro has submitted an application to the Ontario Energy Board for approval to proceed with the project.
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The new station would provide back up to the Windsor transformer station, which is close to capacity and requires relief. A serious equipment failure at Windsor Station could result in a lengthy power outage in part of the downtown core, including the financial district. Windsor station was built in the 1950’s.
+ View Toronto Hydro's video on Windsor Station
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December 13, 2012
Renewing Ontario's Electricity Distribution Sector:
Putting the Consumer First
The Ontario Distribution Sector Review Panel
A new review of the Ontario electricity sector has called for the consolidation of utilities into eight to 12 regional companies.
Some highlights:
- Consolidating Ontario’s local distribution companies would generate $1.7 billion of savings over 10 years for customers.
- The three-member panel recommends that consolidation should be voluntary for two years, after which the province should intervene.
- The panel found that larger Ontario utilities are more efficient than smaller utilities.
- Toronto Hydro participated in consultations with the panel, shedding light on our previous consolidation with the City amalgamation in 1998.
There’s more you should know:
- Due to its size, the panel recommends that Toronto Hydro be identified as its own region and remain as is.
- Thanks to consolidation, Toronto Hydro has seen significant cost savings and efficiencies as well as improved productivity.
- Absenteeism has been reduced by 34 per cent.
- The utility recently celebrated three million hours without a lost time injury.
+ Learn more about Toronto Hydro’s productivity
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December 7, 2012
Toronto waterfront digs in for the long haul with underground remodeling
The Toronto Star, Rachel Mendleson
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Construction work has been ongoing to overhaul the Waterfront. When complete, the $34 billion project will have generated 40,000 jobs and 40,000 residences.
Some highlights:
- The Waterfront Toronto project will be a mixed-use development of interconnected and sustainable communities that will increase density and redefine the area.
- Toronto Hydro is assisting with the redevelopment by installing temporary power poles while overhead service is moved underground.
- The developments will add an additional 390 megawatts of electricity to the grid by 2017, maxing out the Esplanade transformer station.
There’s more you should know:
- Toronto Hydro has proposed a new transformer station at Bremner Blvd. in its latest rate application to ease capacity constraints in the downtown core.
+ Learn more |
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December 3, 2012
Helping Electric Vehicle Drivers Plug In
Ministry of Transportation
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The provincial government is helping electric car owners install charging stations at their homes and businesses by introducing new rebates.
Some highlights:
- Starting January 1, 2013, homeowners and businesses who received a provincial electric vehicle rebate and have installed or are planning to install an electric vehicle charging station will be eligible for rebates of up to $1,000 or 50 per cent of the total purchase and install cost.
- Given Toronto’s urban density, the city is well suited to electric vehicles.
- The rebate is part of the provincial government’s continued commitment to a clean and green Ontario.
There’s more you should know:
- Toronto Hydro will continue to study electric vehicle behavior and its potential impact on the grid. Visit our newsroom to learn more about our EV study.
- The EV Incentive Program launched in July 2010, offers rebates of $5,000 to $8,500 for purchase or lease of a new plug-in hybrid electric or battery electric vehicle.
- Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 6 per cent below 1990 levels by 2014 and 15 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.
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November 15, 2012
Toronto Hydro Crews Return Home
| Toronto Hydro trucks roll into the Milner Road location after completing a nine day effort in the north eastern US following Hurricane Sandy. Crews, under difficult conditions, restored power to hundreds, if not thousands of people in a safe and professional manner. |
| Relieved to be home, Toronto Hydro's overhead team members, Rob Milner (left), Gerry Murphy, and John Spina (right), talk about their experiences in the north eastern US helping to restore power following Hurricane Sandy. The company proudly welcomed the first set of crews back earlier today. |
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November 15, 2012
Toronto Hydro at Work: Finch Avenue and Brimley Road
| Apprentice AJ McGill, using a cable fault locator, hunts for a defect on an underground wire. The customer at this location has partial power to his home. Once AJ finds the fault, the ground will be excavated to make repairs to the cable and then fulll power will be restored. |
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November 7, 2012
Toronto Hydro workers heading to U.S. to assist power restoration
Global News, Adam Frisk
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A crew of 65 Toronto Hydro workers is heading to the American east coast to restore power to areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
Some highlights:
- 48 workers will assist National Grid with overhead power line restoration.
- 17 will help in the underground electricity network in New York City.
- Toronto Hydro’s assistance is especially welcome as we share similar electricity network infrastructure with New York.
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November 7, 2012
Toronto Hydro at Work: Crews Head South to aid in Power Restoration Efforts
| Stafford Higginson, an overhead cable line worker with Toronto Hydro affixes the Canadian flag to the rear of his bucket truck before leaving early this morning. Sixty-five Toronto Hydro employees left at 4 am -- one group heads to Sturbridge, Mass. and the other will go directly to Manhattan, NY. |
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November 6, 2012
The Future is Electric
Presentation, Jim Burpee, Canadian Electricity Association
President and CEO
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Electricity is essential to our lives, yet it is taken for granted by policy makers and the public. Decisions are being made that will shape the future of Canada’s electricity infrastructure. The public must understand the value of electricity and how it is generated, transmitted and delivered.
Investments in the electricity system have slipped in the first decade of the 21st century. We must invest in the electricity system to serve the changing needs of future generations and have the reliable delivery we are accustomed to.
Some highlights:
- Electricity accounts for more than $24 billion of Canada’s gross domestic product and provides 108,000 jobs.
- According to the International Energy Agency, Canada has some of the lowest electricity prices in the world.
- Electricity is projected as the only industrial sector in Canada that will actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
- $350 billion must be invested in infrastructure over the next 20 years in order to have the same reliable delivery we have today.
- It is time to consider a common electricity market that crosses provincial borders. We have seen this in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador where they are working to increase the collective efficiency of their systems.
There’s more you should know:
- Ontario continues to unlock hydro-electric potential of Niagara Falls. When the project is complete, it will supply water to generate power for 160,000 homes.
- Toronto Hydro continues to hold stakeholder sessions to further engage and educate key stakeholders on electricity policy and infrastructure.
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November 5, 2012
Energy Policy Gone Terribly ... Right
Presentation, Anthony Haines, Toronto Hydro President and CEO
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Toronto Hydro’s success has been positively impacted by the energy policy objectives established by the Ontario government. In response to these objectives, Toronto Hydro has introduced more conservation programs, the smart grid and new tools to ease business.
Some highlights:
- 119,000 customers are registered on Toronto Hydro’s time-of-use web portal for easy access to consumption information.
- 1.5 to 2 per cent load shift helped to avoid additional generation.
- Toronto Hydro achieved 50 MW and 172 GWh in electricity demand and energy savings in 2011—that’s 23 to 29 per cent in provincial total, respectively.
+ Learn more |
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