TORONTO - More than 2,900 megawatts of new electrical supply are expected to be added to Ontario's power grid by March 2009.
The Independent Electricity System Operator says the new supply includes more than 2,000 megawatts of gas-fired generation and more than 700 megawatts of wind generation.
The IESO says the additional power will represent the highest amount of additional capacity since the Ontario electricity market opened in 2002.
The IESO's latest 18-month outlook says most of the new capacity is expected to enter the power grid near the end of the study period. Ontario requires around 20,000 megawatts per day.
The outlook also says Ontario has enough energy resources to meet expected needs during most of the next 18 months under normal weather conditions.
But the IESO says on some occasions, Ontario may need to rely on power from neighbouring jurisdictions, particularly if extreme weather occurs or if equipment performance is below normal
