Agreement with Manitoba Hydro to Support Temporary Reliability Needs in Northwest Ontario
April 8, 2021
To support the reliability of the electricity system in northwest Ontario, a new Reliability Must-Run agreement with Manitoba Hydro will ensure 100 megawatts of capacity is on standby this September and October.
The East-West Tie Expansion, expected to be in service by March 2022, will maintain a reliable and cost-effective supply of electricity to northwest Ontario for the long term. Until the expansion enters service, a local capacity need could occur if the current East-West Tie lines go out of service during drought conditions that reduce hydro output in the area. While unlikely, the chance of these conditions occurring is highest in September and October. Due to the local and limited nature of the potential need, a Reliability Must-Run agreement with Manitoba Hydro was determined to be the most cost-efficient option.
Market manual changes to support the agreement will be posted shortly for stakeholder review and comment.