ERO# 019-3471 Eliminating…

ERO# 019-3471

Eliminating Renewable Energy Requirements | Environmental Registry of Ontario
We’re Against Industrial Turbines Plympton Wyoming (WAIT-PW) supports the repeal of
legislative provisions designed to promote and prioritize renewable energy development and access
to our electricity grid. The Ontario Energy Board should no longer be shackled in its Leave to
Construct deliberations by legislation that mandates promotion of the interests of one energy source
type to the detriment of price, reliability, and quality of service. And that is what priority access
provisions do.
Affordable and reliable energy is one of the driving forces of equality among different communities
across Ontario. Electricity is a necessity for quality of life and economic growth. The costs that
intermittent wind and solar electricity imposes on our electricity system adversely impact
affordability. Ratepayers are justifiably worried about the impact of ever escalating electricity costs
on their households that priority access creates. While some may be prepared to pay excessive prices
and live with blackouts and low quality of service, electricity costs drive significant numbers of
Ontarians into poverty.
A cost-benefits analysis of priority access of intermittent wind and solar electricity to development
and our electricity grid was never done. Our lived experience demonstrates that the many significant
and different types of costs imposed by wind and solar having priority access to transmission lines
and the grid far outweigh any benefit. By eliminating priority access, we restore a level playing field
for all energy generators and we restore cost-competitiveness, reliability and quality of service.
Eliminating priority access will mean that the OEB no longer is compelled to approve electricity
generating plants that are built distances from load centres creating costly grid connection
complexities. These imposed grid connection complexities negatively affect the value of wind and
solar electricity. System costs to meet actual demand increase delivery prices and reduce
considerably any profitability wind and solar generation may deliver to ratepayers. When the wind
does blow, the priority access provision means that other clean energy sources like nuclear and hydro
are displaced. When there is no other workaround for excess intermittent electricity, it must be
curtailed–that is, dumped rather than added to the grid. Spilling clean energy from nuclear and hydro
to give intermittent and unreliable clean energy sources priority simply does not make sense. Even
worse, is selling off excess wind power electricity at ludicrous prices – once again the ratepayer pays.
Priority access costs consumers at both ends – at excess and at zero contribution to the electricity
mix.
Ratepayers demand reliable, affordable, high quality electricity supply. Priority access has created a
culture whereby the true social and environmental costs of building, operating and decommissioning
wind and solar plants are dismissed, denied, and critics vilified. The reality is that industrial wind
turbine and solar panel construction, installation, and decommissioning cause more carbon emissions
than they save in electrical output.
We need to focus on system costs that achieve reliable supply to meet demand and build back quality
of service in our electricity system at affordable prices. Repealing priority access legislative
provisions will accomplish that.

WAIT-PW Team
WAIT-PW.ca