The 2,483 MW of rated capacity of wind generators reported by Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) in the past three days (October 6 to 8) generated 67,000 MWh (megawatt hours), or enough power for 7,000 average homes.
They just weren’t in Ontario.
The province exported over 145,000 MWh to New York, Michigan and elsewhere over those three days.   The wind power developers were being paid $135/MWh for power that was surplus to our needs because demand was low.  The price we received for our exports averaged $2.29/MWh on October 6, $1.88/MWh on October 7, and on October 8 we paid our neighbours $3.31/MWh to take our exports.
Not included in that price is the money paid to the wind power developers for “curtailed” generation.
Wind power tends to be produced out-of-phase with demand, or when we don’t need it (spring and fall and middle of the night).   As a result, the HOEP (hourly Ontario energy price) has been driven down meaning those surplus exports represent a significant cost to the ratepayers of Ontario. The cost for just the wind exports in the past three days was in excess of $9 million.  Add another $9 million for the other exported power, and it becomes $18 million.   The latter doesn’t include the cost of the curtailed wind power, steamed off power from Bruce Nuclear, spilled hydro losses, idling gas plant costs; the total approaches $30 million, or $10 million per day.
People all over Ontario are asking, what else could have been done with that money?
©Parker Gallant,
October 9, 2014
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent Wind Concerns Ontario policy.