Aurora’s Power Grid Receives a $5 Million Boost From Alectra to Enhance Reliability and Accommodate Growth

Aurora’s Power Grid Receives a $5 Million Boost From Alectra to Enhance Reliability and Accommodate Growth

Alectra Utilities made a significant investment of $5 million in Aurora to strengthen and modernize the power grid in response to growing customer electricity demands. With parts of Aurora’s system nearing the end of its life cycle, Alectra took steps proactively to renew deteriorating infrastructure. These upgrades are essential to maintain reliability and stabilize the existing system to reduce outage impacts in the community.

Latest Storm Prompts Activation of Nova Scotia Power’s Emergency Operations Centre

Latest Storm Prompts Activation of Nova Scotia Power’s Emergency Operations Centre

Nova Scotia Power opened its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Wednesday morning (January 10) at 8 AM ahead of the latest windstorm expected to hit the province. “Our team has been monitoring the weather forecasts over the last several days. In light of the high winds expected to reach 90–100+ km an hour across the province, we will be activating our Emergency Operation Centre,” said Matt Drover, Nova Scotia Power’s Storm Lead.

Ontario Increasing Income Eligibility Thresholds for Ontario Electricity Support Program

Ontario Increasing Income Eligibility Thresholds for Ontario Electricity Support Program

The Ontario government is investing an additional $50 million in the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP), and is increasing the income eligibility thresholds for the program by up to 35 per cent in order to provide thousands of additional low-income families access to the program’s on-bill credits and help make electricity more affordable. The updated OESP income thresholds will come into effect on March 1, 2024.

SaskEnergy & UNIFOR Ratify Agreement

SaskEnergy & UNIFOR Ratify Agreement

A tentative agreement between SaskEnergy and UNIFOR was reached on December 13, 2023, and a ratification tour that was held by the union, across the province, over the last couple weeks.  “The signing of the collective bargaining agreement at SaskEnergy demonstrates the value of collaboration between unions and the Government of Saskatchewan,” said Dustin Duncan, Minister Responsible for SaskEnergy. The CBA is retroactive to February 1, 2023, and will see wage increases annually at a rate of 3 per cent (February 1, 2023), 3 per cent (February 1, 2024), and 2 per cent (February 1, 2025). The CBA is scheduled to expire January 31, 2026.

The Electric Circuit Announces Major Improvements to the Charging Station at L’Étape

The Electric Circuit Announces Major Improvements to the Charging Station at L’Étape

January 10, 2024 The Electric Circuit, the largest public charging network for electric vehicles in Québec, has announced the introduction of new fast-charge stations at the Coq Rôti restaurant at L’Étape, in the Réserve faunique des Laurentides, in order to facilitate electric vehicle charging and reduce lineups as much as possible. In addition to the six…

Rate Change Needed by FortisBC to Meet Growing Demand for Electricity

Rate Change Needed by FortisBC to Meet Growing Demand for Electricity

January 10, 2024 As of January 1, 2024, FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC) electricity customers will see a 6.74 per cent general rate increase as approved by the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC). For a residential customer with an average use of approximately 1,100 kilowatt hours per month of electricity, this equates to about $11.26 more per month….

Government of Canada and CUTRIC are Supporting TransLink to Develop a Plan to Transition to Zero Emissions Vehicles

Government of Canada and CUTRIC are Supporting TransLink to Develop a Plan to Transition to Zero Emissions Vehicles

January 10, 2024 Communities across the country are developing strategies to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, including lowering carbon emissions from public transportation. Today, Minister Harjit S. Sajjan, Kevin Quinn, CEO of TransLink, and Josipa Petrunić, President and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), announced a combined investment of $1.3 million for TransLink to plan…

Legislative Changes Coming in 2024: OHSA Regulatory Requirements to Improve Crane Safety

Legislative Changes Coming in 2024: OHSA Regulatory Requirements to Improve Crane Safety

January 10, 2024 Ontario is updating various crane-related provisions of O. Reg. 213/91 (Construction Projects) under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) to improve crane safety on construction sites. These changes will include clarifying or adding new design, installation, maintenance, inspection, and record-keeping requirements, and more. Most of these changes will come into force…

Government of Canada Announces $19 Million to Support Electricity Modernization in P.E.I.

Government of Canada Announces $19 Million to Support Electricity Modernization in P.E.I.

January 9, 2024 Communities across Canada are prioritizing cleaner, more reliable energy sources in the global race to fight climate change and seize the economic opportunities of a low-carbon future. The Government of Canada is working to deploy smart renewable energy projects and enable grid modernization technologies to support Canada’s clean energy transition, keep our…

OEB Temporary Licence Exemptions to Help Facilitate Innovation

OEB Temporary Licence Exemptions to Help Facilitate Innovation

January 9, 2024 Companies that are granted temporary licence exemptions by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) will also now be exempt from certain legislative provisions. The OEB can approve licence exemptions for pilot projects that further its statutory objective to facilitate innovation in the electricity sector. The exemptions may apply to the requirement to be…

OEA Releases Distribution System Operator Study

OEA Releases Distribution System Operator Study

Janaury 9, 2024 The Ontario Energy Association today released a Distribution System Operator (DSO) Study.  In Powering Ontario’s Growth, Ontario’s Minister of Energy called upon the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) and Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to continue to work with LDCs to explore DSO capabilities as an innovation to “meet the needs of customers – safely, affordably, and reliably –…

BCUC Rejects FortisBC Energy Inc. Okanagan Capacity Upgrade Project

BCUC Rejects FortisBC Energy Inc. Okanagan Capacity Upgrade Project

January 9, 2024 The British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) denied FortisBC Energy Inc.’s (FortisBC) application for its Okanagan Capacity Upgrade project, which includes the construction, installation, and operation of approximately 30 kilometers of new natural gas pipeline. In its application, FortisBC stated that the pipeline expansion project is needed to meet its forecast increase in…

Guidehouse Insights Explores Financing Strategies in the Battery Energy Storage Market

Guidehouse Insights Explores Financing Strategies in the Battery Energy Storage Market

January 9, 2024 A new report from Guidehouse Insights explores the types of construction and monetization contracts in the battery energy storage market globally. The transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind energy is happening at a rapid pace. Energy storage systems are an integral part of this transition as…