Ontario to lose enough energy to power half of Toronto during Monday's eclipse, minister says

Officials in Ontario are expecting a significant drop in power — enough to supply energy to half the city of Toronto — as a rare total solar eclipse casts its shadow over the province on Monday.

Southwestern Ontario is one of many regions that will be in the path of totality during the upcoming eclipse on April 8 when the moon will cast its shadow between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

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In a video shared to X on Friday, Ontario Energy Minister Todd Smith said the eclipse's path will be directly atop the majority of the province’s solar generation, in turn sparking a drop in electricity of up to 1,800 megawatts.

"That's enough to power half the city of Toronto," Smith said in the video.

The minister said the province is prepared for the disruption, however.

“Ontario is lucky to have a diverse electric system that includes nuclear, hydroelectric, renewables, biomass and natural gas, which are our insurance policy to keep the lights on if needed," he continued.

Municipalities across the province have already started preparing for the eclipse. In Niagara, deemed one of the best places in the world to take in the sight, approximately one million visitors are expected on Monday. In turn, the city has declared a preemptive state of emergency.

A handful of Ontario school boards have also rescheduled professional development days that were previously set to take place Monday.