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IEEE power & energy magazine

1540-7977/08/$25.002008 IEEE

july/august 2008

FOR CLOSE TO 130 YEARS, CANADIANS HAVE PROFITED FROM THE ECONOMIC,
social, and environmental benefits of hydroelectric power. Across the country, from the late
1880s onward, hydropower has been developed to the extent that, like the national railway, it
helped to define Canada.
Hydropower has enabled Canadians to meet their basic needs for energy, making life easier
and safer, and founding a modern economy. It has opened up remote regions, attracted industries, stimulated economic growth, nurtured innovation, and created world-class expertise.
Drawing on the renewable resource of water, hydropower has contributed all of this without
adding to air or water pollution.
While the sources for electricity generation in Canada are diverse, including natural gas, oil,
coal, nuclear power, biomass, solar and wind power, and water, hydropower has been the leading source of electricity in Canada. Its predominance continues today.
More than 70,000 MW of hydropower have already been developed in Canada. Approximately
475 hydroelectric generating plants across the country produce an average of 355 TWh per year.
Half of these plants have a generating capacity of over 10 MW and represent 99% of total capacity.
Canada generates close to two-thirds of its electricity with water for several reasons: water is
an abundant resource, our technology is efficient, investment is solid and long-term, and the electricity produced is renewable and clean. To produce the equivalent with oil would require 560
million barrels per year. Because 60% of Canadas electricity comes from hydropower, Canada
avoids adding approximately 250 million tons of carbon dioxide a year to the atmosphere.
With many rivers across the country, Canada has hydropower in all regions. The top producing provinces are British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and
Qubec, the latter generating almost half of the hydropower produced in Canada. The largest
producers are the provincially owned electric utilities, such as Hydro-Qubec, BC Hydro,
Manitoba Hydro, Ontario Power Generation, and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.
Canada still has immense potentialover twice the current capacityin all
provinces and territories (see Table 1). In fact, over CAN$50 billion in
hydropower developments are being studied and planned throughout the
country. They range from major projects to smaller ones, from run-ofriver to storage, and from well-established and proven technologies to
new technologies using tidal and wave power.

Shared Jurisdiction
In Canada, jurisdiction over energy, water, and
environment are shared between the federal
and provincial governments. Resource management within provinces, intra-provincial
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MPE.2008.924811

july/august 2008

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table 1. Undeveloped hydro potential.

Provinces / Territories

Technical Potential
Megawatts (MW)

Qubec
44,100
British Columbia
33,137
Yukon
17,664
Alberta
11,775
Northwest Territories
11,524
Ontario
10,270
Manitoba
8,785
Newfoundland and Labrador
8,540
Nova Scotia
8,499
Nunavut
4,307
Saskatchewan
3,955
New Brunswick
613.8
Prince Edward Island
2.6
Canada
163,173
Source: Study of the Hydropower Potential in Canada, report
prepared by EM for the Canadian Hydropower Association,
March 2006.

trade and commerce, and intra-provincial environmental

impacts, among others, fall under the responsibility of
provinces and territories, while interprovincial and international trade and commerce, trans-boundary environmental
impacts, and policies of national interest, such as energy
security, are governed by the federal government.
Although hydropower development projects fall under
provincial and territorial jurisdiction, they are also subject to
federal jurisdiction as it pertains to navigation and fisheries.
Thus, hydropower projects usually trigger the federal environmental assessment process.
In Canada, environmental legislation covers all stages of
hydropower development, from planning through construction to operation. The legislation requires the participation of
all stakeholders, including the population that might be
directly affected by the project.
In recent years, several provinces have developed energy
plans that have integrated energy development objectives
with climate change objectives. These plans have focused on
demand-side management and renewable energy development, including hydropower, as the way of the future.

British Columbia
In its 2007 plan, A Vision for Clean Energy Leadership, the
government of British Columbia aims to make the province
energy self-sufficient by 2016 through a range of policy
actions, with a focus on conservation and clean energy.
Today, hydropower meets 90% of the provinces electricity
needs and provides low, stable rates for consumers. In recent
years, however, British Columbias domestic consumption of
electricity has begun to outstrip its supply. Although British
Columbia enjoyed surpluses in the past, it is now a net
importer of electricity. Demand for electricity is expected to
increase by as much as 45% by 2025.
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IEEE power & energy magazine

To quote Richard Neufeld, the British Columbia Minister

of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, The province
will require zero net greenhouse gas emissions from all new
electricity projects and support the development of clean
energy technology. Clean, renewable electricity generation,
including small and large hydropower, must continue to
account for at least 90% of total generation. In addition, the
province aims to acquire half of the provincial utilitys incremental resource needs through conservation by 2020.
To facilitate the development of clean electricity projects, the provincial government proposes a standing offer
contract for clean electricity or high-efficiency electricity
cogeneration projects that are less than 10 MW. The offer
will allow small projects to sell power to BC Hydro at a
fixed price and with standard contract terms and conditions. The province is also considering the development of
large hydropower projects as an option.
One project that has often been discussed is building a
third dam and hydroelectric generating station on the Peace
River. A large-scale hydroelectric project such as Site C, as
it is known, could provide about 900 MW or about 8% of
the provinces existing needs. The project could take about
ten years to come online, but it would have a lifespan of up
to 100 years with refurbishment, providing clean reliable
electricity at stable rates for generations to come. Site C
could produce enough electricity each year to power about
460,000 homes. In addition, as the third project on one
river system, Site C would gain significantly in efficiency
by taking advantage of water already being stored and used
to generate electricity upstream at the GM Shrum and
Peace Canyon dams.
The provincial government has asked BC Hydro to begin
consideration of the Site C hydro project by consulting with
communities, First Nations, and stakeholders. A decision to
proceed with the project would only be made following
extensive consultation and project analysis.
Another important option to help meet British Columbias
long-term electricity needs is to refurbish and upgrade existing generating facilities, increasing efficiency and electricity
production with few environmental impacts. For example,
BC Hydro is adding a fifth unit to the Revelstoke Dam and
Generating Station on the Columbia River. Revelstoke Unit 5
will add approximately 500 MW of capacity, bringing the
facilitys total generating installed capacity to 2,480 MW. The
target in-service date for the Revelstoke Unit 5 project is
October 20102011.
Another project in the works is the Waneta Expansion, a
new 435-MW hydroelectric power plant and a 10-km-long,
230-kV transmission line. Though separated physically from
Waneta Dam and its existing powerhouse, the expansion
project will share the dams hydraulic head and generate
power from flow that would otherwise be spilled. The new
power plant, expected to be in-service by 2011, will provide
more than 700 GWh per year of renewable energy, the
equivalent energy for more than 70,000 households, without
july/august 2008

the need for new dam construction, new reservoir formation,

or additional flooding of existing reservoirs. In addition,
Waneta Expansion will reduce the amount spilled at the
existing dam and therefore reduce total gas pressure downstream, improving Columbia River water quality to the benefit of aquatic species.

Alberta
Albertas energy mix differs from that of Canada as a whole.
About half of the electricity in Alberta is generated through
coal-fired plants, nearly 40% comes from natural gas-fired
plants, and 4% is generated by wind power. With 200 MW of
wind power capacity, Alberta is now Canadas number one in
wind power capacity. Only 8% of Albertas electricity comes
from hydropower, and that despite the fact that the province
has nearly 12,000 MW of potential, enough power to meet
the provinces electricity needs today.
With mounting pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the province (Alberta has the highest greenhouse gas
emissions of all the provinces), more hydropower projects
could soon be underway.
TransCanada and ATCO Power, for example, are studying
the feasibility of building a large hydroelectric dam on the
Slave River in northeast Alberta to meet growing demand for
power from Fort McMurray and the oil sands. This 1,800MW project would be the largest hydropower project in
Alberta. Consultations with local communities have begun.
Many small hydropower projects are also being planned
in the province. For example, Canadian Hydro is studying the
possibility of developing several small hydropower projects,
such as Dunvegan (100 MW), Island Falls (20 MW), or Bone
Creek (20 MW).

pa generating station on the Lower Nelson River. The latter, if

developed, would be the largest hydropower facility to be
built in northern Manitoba. Most of the power would be
available for export to neighboring Ontario or the United
States until needed by Manitobans.
Currently, Manitoba Hydro is developing Wuskwatim, a
200-MW hydroelectric generating station with a reservoir
less than half a square kilometer on the Burntwood River.
The Wuskwatim project is the subject of a partnership agreement between Manitoba Hydro and the local Aboriginal community, the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN), which
allows NCN to own up to 33% of the project and related revenues. Wuskwatim (Figure 1), scheduled for completion in
2012, represents the first time the provincial utility has
entered into an equity partnership with a First Nations community on a generating station project.

Ontario
The electricity supply gap in Ontario over the next ten to
15 years presents a major challenge. The aging of electricity facilities means 80% of electricity generating plants will
have to be refurbished or replaced within the next 15 to 20
years. Moreover, because of health and environmental concerns, the provincial government is committed to phasing
out coal-fired plants, which produce approximately 25% of
Ontarios electricity. Also in the mix are nuclear power,
which accounts for over 50% of Ontarios electricity, and
hydropower at 22%.
The province has witnessed not only a decline in installed
generating capacity but also a population growth of 15% and
an economic growth of 45%. All this has placed an enormous
strain on the electricity supply. The Government of Ontario has

Manitoba
The province of Manitoba links
energy development with climate
change objectives in its 2005 energy plan, Green and Growing.
The province is committed to
meeting and exceeding the climate
change objectives of the Kyoto
Protocol through conservation,
geothermal and wind power, and
new hydropower development.
Nearly all of Manitobas electricity
is produced from hydropower, and
it is estimated that less than half of
the provinces potential has been
developed.
Hydropower projects under
consideration include the 629-MW
Keeyask generating station located
on the Nelson River, the 100-MW
Notigi project on the Burntwood
River, and the 1,250-MW Conawajuly/august 2008

figure 1. Artists rendering of the 200-MW Wuskwatim generating station on the

Burntwood River (image courtesy of Manitoba Hydro).
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indicated that the province must refurbish, rebuild, replace, or

conserve 25,000 MW of generating capacity by the year 2020.
Although Ontario developed its most economical
hydropower sites in the early 20th century, significant potential remains that would meet electricity needs. According to
the provincial Ministry of Energy, there are currently about
180 hydroelectric stations (of which 58 are connected to the
grid) in Ontario, varying considerably in size and power. The
smallest stations produce less than 1 MW of power, while
Ontarios largest, Niagara Falls Sir Adam Beck 2, produces
over 1,400 MW of electricity.

In its 2005 Supply Mix Report, the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) identifies 190 sites with a technical potential of 7,521
MW; however, it recognizes that certain social, political, and
environmental considerations need to be carefully assessed
before going ahead with the development of certain sites. For
instance, 1,500 MW are inside parks and protected areas, and
4,637 MW are subject to agreement with Aboriginal peoples
and the federal government. In addition, the OPA notes that
some of the most promising sites are located in the north of the
province. Transmission unavailability and the cost of new
transmission remain key impediments to the development of
potential sites on northern rivers.
Due to rising electricity prices,
reduced supply, and increasing concerns about air pollution and climate change, sites whose potential
was socially and economically
undesirable a few years ago have
now become viable options.
Ontario is also looking at other
provinces for new capability. The
province signed a memorandum of
understanding with neighboring
Manitoba to purchase 200 MW of
electricity, including a commitment
to upgrade existing transmission
lines to 400 MW by 2009. Ontario
and Manitoba are also working
toward the development, starting
early in the next decade, of Conawapa, and a major transmission line to
bring power to Ontario.
figure 2. Aerial view of Adam Beck generating stations 1 and 2 (photo courtesy of
Ontario Power Generation).
Some new hydropower projects are underway in Ontario,
such as the 10.4-km Niagara Falls
tunnel that will increase the output of power at the Sir Adam
Beck generating station (Figure 2)
by 1.6 TWh per year when it is
completed in 2010.

Qubec

figure 3. Eastmain-1 powerhouse, inaugurated in December 2006 (photo courtesy

of Hydro-Qubec).
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IEEE power & energy magazine

In the early 20th century, a landmark hydropower plant was built at

Shawinigan Falls on the Saint Maurice River. Since then, the province
of Qubec has been a leader in
hydropower development. Today,
over 96% of the provinces electricity comes from hydropower, with
nearly half coming from the James
Bay region in northern Qubec.
The commissioning of the Eastmain-1 powerhouse in 2006 added
480 MW to the provincial utility
july/august 2008

Hydro-Qubecs installation capacity and 2.7 TWh to its

annual output. This $2.3 billion development further optimizes the La Grande complex at James Bay. After being turbined in the powerhouse, water from the Eastmain-1 reservoir
will return to the river to flow into the Opinaca reservoir and
then into the Robert-Bourassa reservoir. The same water will
therefore be used at three generating stationsEastmain-1
(Figure 3), Robert-Bourassa or La Grande-2-A, and La
Grande-1before flowing into James Bay.
The Eastmain-1-A/Sarcelles/Rupert diversion project is
being built in the same area. At a planned cost of $5 billion,
this project is Canadas largest hydropower development in
decades. Two powerhouses will be constructed, Sarcelles and
Eastmain-1-A, and the Rupert River will be partially diverted
to the Eastmain-1 reservoir and then on to the three existing
generating stations on the Lower Grande River, whose output
will be increased by the new inflows. When completed, the
project will add 893 MW and 8.5 TWh in annual output. The
diversion and powerhouses will go into operation in stages
from the end of 2009 to the winter of 2012.
Other projects being completed include Pribonka
(Figure 4), a 385-MW generating station that will produce
2.2 TWh a year, and Chute-Allard and Rapides-des-Coeurs,
with a combined capacity of 139 MW and an annual output
of 0.9 TWh.
Moreover, two major projects are also being studied: the
Petit Mecatina and La Romaine. The environmental impact
assessment of the Romaine hydropower complex, composed
of four generating stations with a total installed capacity of
1,550 MW and annual output of 7.7 TWh, was tabled in 2008.
Following public consultations and governmental authorizations, construction on the project could begin in January 2009.
La Romaine could be followed by a second major 1,500-MW
project on the Petit Mcatina River in the same region.

project at Muskrat Falls has the potential to produce an average of 4.8 TWh a year.
These two projects would generate enough electricity to
power approximately 1.5 million homes and contribute significantly to the reduction of air emissions from coal and fossil fuel power generation. In particular, the projects could
displace over 16 megatons of carbon dioxide emissions every
year, equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from
3.2 million automobiles.
Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, Emera, and Nova
Scotia Power have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the possibility of bringing energy from the
Lower Churchill Project to the Maritimes and New England markets.

Canadian Expertise
With the opportunities presented by an abundance of natural
water resources, the Canadian energy industry has developed
an expertise in the generation and transmission of electricity,
particularly clean, reliable, renewable hydropower.
Over the years, Canada has also developed a worldrenowned expertise in hydropower project design and

Newfoundland and Labrador

Over 87% of the electricity produced in Newfoundland and
Labrador, the most eastern province, is from hydropower.
The largest source of hydropower comes from the Churchill
Falls hydroelectric station in Labrador.
The Churchill River in Labrador is a significant source of
renewable, clean electric energy; however, the potential of
this river has yet to be fully developed. The existing 5,428MW Churchill Falls generating station, which began producing power in 1971, harnesses about 65% of the potential
generating capacity of the river. The remaining 35% is located at two sites on the lower Churchill River, known as the
Lower Churchill Project.
The Lower Churchill Project consists of two of the best
undeveloped hydroelectric sites in North America: Gull
Island, located 225 km downstream from the existing
Churchill Falls Generating Station (Figure 5); and Muskrat
Falls, located 60 km downstream from Gull Island. The
2,000-MW project at Gull Island has the potential to produce
an average of 11.9 TWh of energy annually. The 824-MW
july/august 2008

figure 4. Pribonka hydroelectric development project,

inaugurated in December 2007 (photo courtesy of
Hydro-Qubec).
IEEE power & energy magazine

45

construction. Some of
ed Statesthanks to
the largest and most
hydropowers preefficient hydropower
dominant role in the
facilities in the world
energy supply of both
have been developed
provinces.
thanks to Canadians.
Fortunately, Canada
Some ex a m p l e s o f
still has significant
hydropower projects inhydropower resources
volving Canadian experthat can be developed
tise are: Nachtigal in
in a l l p r o v i n c e s
Cameroon; Manatali in
and territoriesover
Senegal; Barbara in
163,000 MW of techTunisia; Teesta, Idukki,
nical potential.
and Chameera in India;
Not all of the availBakun in Malaysia;
able potential will be
Wanmipo and Xiaolangdeveloped because of
di in China; Tarbela in
technical challenges,
Pakistan; Karebe and
cost, or unacceptable
Balambano in Indone- figure 5. Gull Island (photo courtesy of Newfoundland and
environmental tradeoffs.
Labrador Hydro.)
sia; among others.
Despite that, a significant
In Canada, the 214amount will be develm-high Daniel-Johnson dam on the Manicouagan River in oped because clean, renewable hydropower is one of the best
Qubec is the worlds largest multiple arch-and-buttress sources of electricity available from a technical, environmental,
dam. It took ten years to build and 2.2 million cubic meters social, and economic perspective.
of concreteenough to build a sidewalk from the North to
According to Canadas National Energy Board,
the South Pole. The Robert-Bourassa generating station on hydropower generation is expected to grow over the next
James Bay in Northern Qubec is the worlds largest decade by about 5%, from 60% of Canadas electricity to
underground power station. It is located 137 m under- 65%. Hydropower capacity, excluding small hydropower, is
ground, is 483 m long, and 17 m deep, and generates projected to reach 79,300 MW in 2015.
enough electricity to meet the needs of 1.4 million people
The development of hydropowers clean, renewable
(5,616 MW). It is closely followed by Churchill Falls in potential can play a key role in meeting Canadas growing
Newfoundland and Labrador with its 5,428-MW under- electricity needs while reducing emissions of greenhouse
ground power station.
gases and air pollutantsa win-win situation for the environment and the economy.

Meeting Future Growth

Even with significant efforts to reduce our consumption and
to integrate more efficient technologies, electricity demand
will continue to grow by about 1.2% over the coming
decades because of population and economic growth. This
could lead to further pressures on our environment.
Today, transportation and electricity, or more specifically,
the burning of coal and natural gas, are responsible for over
half of Canadas greenhouse gas emissions. Hydropower can
play a role in reducing emissions in both sectors.
Electricity is a very efficient way of powering cars, trains,
and subways. When the source of power is water, not only is
it efficient, but it is clean. Vancouvers Sky Train and vast
trolley bus network and Montreals subway and train already
work on hydropower, which has contributed to reducing
emissions in these two cities. Imagine what the integration of
electric cars can do.
Heating and air conditioning are huge consumers of electricity. Again, hydropower is a key solution. Manitoba and
Qubec have among the lowest per capita greenhouse gas
emissions in Canadatwice as low as those in the Unit46

IEEE power & energy magazine

For Further Reading

Canadian Hydropower Association Web site [Online]. Available: www.canhydropower.org
BC Hydro Web site [Online]. Available: www.bchydro.com
Canadian Hydro Developers Web site [Online]. Available:
www.canhydro.com
Hydro-Qubec Web site [Online]. Available: www.
hydro.qc.ca
Manitoba Hydro Web site [Online]. Available: www.
hydro.mb.ca
National Energy Board Web site [Online]. Available:
www.neb.gc.ca
Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro Web site [Online]. Available: www.nlh.nl.ca
Ontario Power Generation Web site [Online]. Available:
www.opg.com

Biography
Pierre Fortin is president of the Canadian Hydropower
p&e
Association.
july/august 2008