Central Toronto Integrated Regional Resource Plan “Meeting Toronto’s Electricity Needs for the Next 25 Years” Stakeholder Engagement Open House September 30, 2014 Metro Hall, Toronto Ontario o Welcome to an Open House on the Integrated Regional Resource Plan for Central Toronto! o Please feel free to review the information and posterboards provided on your own, or ask a Subject Matter Expert wearing a nametag to provide you with a brief overview. o Members of the Plan Working Group are on hand to answer specific questions. o Please complete the accompanying workbook at the link(s) referenced on the last slide. o An “integrated” plan involves developing solutions that cover a mix of resource options, including Conservation and Demand Management, Distributed Generation, as well as wires-based Transmission and Distribution resources. o Each of the four participating organizations brings their own perspectives and expertise to the table, in order to develop a balanced and robust plan. o Developing a plan of this nature requires input from stakeholders and the public – we need to hear from you. o An electricity plan involves making choices that consider the priorities and perspectives of the community. o This plan will need to make some choices that ensure that customers in Central Toronto have enough electricity that is reliable into the medium and long term. Page 1
o Regional electricity planning is a process that has been endorsed and mandated by Ontario’s energy regulator, the Ontario Energy Board. o The scope of this plan involves demand and supply issues on a regional scale, and is distinct from broader system-wide plans and very local distribution network planning conducted by distributors. o Regional plans can overlap and influence bulk system and/or distribution plans. o Central Toronto is a subregion of the Metro Toronto area, one of the 21 regions identified by the Ontario Energy Board. o Electricity supply in the rest of Metro Toronto has already undergone a screening analysis and the report is posted on Hydro One’s regional planning webpage. o Each regional planning region will undergo reassessment and plan update, if necessary, about every four years. o Stakeholder engagement is an important part of the integrated planning process. o We value your input – you have options to provide feedback on what matters to you. o Feel free to ask any questions of our planners at this Open House, or submit questions or written feedback to the Working Group at torontoregionalplan@powerauthority.on.ca. o This illustration of the typical infrastructure of the electric power system shows that generation resources supply energy to the high-voltage transmission network, that is delivered to local distribution utilities, like Toronto Hydro, that step the voltages down to levels that the customer can use. o Customers are an important part of the system, as Conservation and Distributed Generation and smart metering technologies empower end users to be a greater part of the solution. Page 2
o The Study Area for this plan covers Central Toronto and the downtown core. This area operates at different voltage levels than the rest of Toronto. o Parts of this area have been experiencing very high levels of growth due to the large number of tall buildings approved or under construction. o Electricity needs in the rest of Toronto have already undergone a screening by Hydro One and found to be capable of reliably supporting the projected growth. o From an electricity service perspective, the Central Toronto area has three major points of supply: two major transformer stations and one internal source of generation in the Portlands area. o The area today is heavily reliant on transmission resources to bring supply in from other parts of Ontario. o In contrast, thirty years ago almost all of the demand in Central Toronto could be met through internal generation resources. Some other large cities, like New York City, have policies requiring a high proportion of internal generation to improve local security. o The infrastructure must be capable of supplying the peak demand needs of an area – which is the highest level of demand throughout the year. o Critical peak periods, as shown in the upper diagram, occur in the order of 100 hours/year. o Electricity peaks typically occur during the week on hot summer days when businesses are operating and air conditioners are used to cool homes and businesses. o Conservation options reduce peak demand. Page 3
o Any long-range electricity demand forecast involves uncertainty. o Plans must be able to adapt to changing future conditions. o Planners must monitor electricity demand over time and shift course if reality turns out different from what was forecast. o For this reason, an integrated plan for Toronto must include a monitoring plan for demand. o Growth does not occur evenly throughout an area such as Toronto. o A number of growth “hot spots” have been identified that are placing pressure on the infrastructure supplying those areas. o Given the timing of these needs, targeted action to address demand growth is needed, in addition to plans to implement infrastructure options when they are needed. o The electricity grid within Central Toronto has evolved over the last 100 years. o Three independent transmission sub-systems have some flexibility to transfer loads to other sectors in the event of equipment failures. o A number of recent investments in the system have increased the available load transfer capability, which improves the ability of the power system to recover from major failures. o The system today operates within or above the reliability standards, and reliability performance has been steady or improving for more typical single element outages or equipment issues. o Major events, where many system elements fail at once, such as during extreme weather, are an issue that planners need to consider as part of the integrated plan. o Major events can result in longer interruptions and impact many customers. Page 4
o No one single option can meet all of Central Toronto’s needs. o An integrated plan supports the development of a portfolio of options that includes a mix of Conservation and Demand Management, Distributed or Local Generation, as well as Transmission and Distribution “wires” options. o Each option has strengths and weaknesses, please review our online Engagement Workbook for more detail. o CDM is a priority in Ontario and provincial programs are currently in market. o By consuming less electricity or shifting use to off-peak periods, customers can save money on their bills, and avoid paying more for infrastructure in the long term. o The integrated plan can include locally targeted CDM resources or target specific customer groups. o Given the customer base in Toronto, DG could play a significant role in the integrated plan. o There are opportunities for renewable resources, combined heat and power systems and possibly leveraging some emergency back- up generators during critical peak periods. o The degree of Community acceptance for the various DG technologies will be a significant consideration for this study area. o Transmission and Distribution infrastructure is an economical option for delivering medium to large amounts of electricity in a reliable manner. o Building large infrastructure in a built-up area is challenging and can require the long lead times for approvals and development. o It may be prudent to develop a staged plan where early scoping and development work for Transmission and Distribution options is carried out in parallel with other options to manage risk of capacity shortfalls. Page 5
o We appreciate your interest in the integrated electricity plan for Central Toronto. o There are several ways for you to get informed and to provide your input. o We encourage you to review the webinar archives, complete the online workbook, and to provide any additional feedback in writing. Page 6
Questions for Participants in the Engagement Are there any other options that you think the Plan Working Group should explore? Are there any other factors or criteria that the Working Group should consider when evaluating the options? Do you have any other advice for the Working Group? You can share your thoughts at the Open House or afterwards by reviewing the materials posted online at http://powerauthority.on.ca/power-planning/regional-planning/toronto/central- downtown and submitting written feedback to torontoregionalplan@powerauthority.on.ca. Thank you. Page 7
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