Canada's $12 Billion of First-Quarter Power-Generation Kickoffs Show Broadening Range of Fuels

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Canada has been moving more aggressively than the U.S. in adopting renewable-sourced power generation, but old habits die hard. Despite its growing number of wind and solar-powered facilities, Canada's nuclear and fossil-fuel sectors still account for the bulk of the industry's capital spending. Industrial Info is tracking nearly $12 billion worth of projects in Canada's Power Generation Industry that are set to begin construction in the first quarter.

Click on the image at right to see a graph detailing project kickoffs in Canada's Power Generation Industry from January through March, by fuel type.

Canada's nuclear-generation sector leads all other fuel types in spending, accounting for more than half of the total investment value (TIV) for power projects set to begin construction over the next three months. But with that amount coming from only three projects, the nuclear sector lags most other fuel types in project count. The largest of the three is Ontario Power Generation Incorporated's (Toronto, Ontario) estimated $4.2 billion life extension of Unit 3 at the Darlington Nuclear Power Station in Bowmanville, Ontario.

Ontario Power is sprucing up the 881-megawatt (MW) unit by replacing its fuel channels, pressure tubes, calandria tubes and feeders, and refurbishing its steam and turbine generators and fuel-handling system. The project is part of a broader, estimated $1.28 billion refurbishment plan that is expected to wrap up in the mid-2020s, according to the Toronto Star. For more information on Unit 3's refurbishment, see Industrial Info's project report.

The natural gas-fired generation sector distantly trails nuclear in spending, with about $2.1 billion worth, but boasts the highest number of projects. Alberta, the home of Canada's Oil & Gas Industry, is hosting a major project near its oil sands fields: Kineticor Resource Corporation's (Calgary) $552 million Three Creeks Power Station in Peace River. The 690-MW, natural gas-fired, simple-cycle plant will include three turbines from Siemens AG (Munich, Germany) and is set to be completed in the fall of 2021. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

Although its seven projects amount to less than 25% of the nuclear sector's spending, the wind-generation sector boasts the second-highest project count. Five of the highest-valued are found in Alberta, the country's fossil-fuel capital:

• EDP Renewables Canada Limited's (Toronto) estimated $495 million Sharp Hills Windfarm (Phase I) in Sedalia, which would generate 247.8 MW from 59 turbines; see project report
• EDP Renewables Canada's estimated $101 million Sharp Hills Windfarm (Phase II) in Sedalia, which would generate 50.4 MW from 12 turbines; see project report
• TransAlta Corporation's (NYSE:TAC) (Calgary, Alberta) estimated $343 million Windrise Power Project in Magrath, which would generate 207.9 MW from about 100 turbines; see project report
• Riverstone Holdings LLC's (New York, New York) estimated $223 million Lanfine Wind Power Generating Station (Phase II) in Oyen, which would generate 138 MW; see project report
• Enel SpA's (Rome, Italy) estimated $170 million Riverview Windfarm in Rocky Mountain House, which would generate 118 MW from 28 turbines; see project report

Alberta also is home to one of the highest-valued solar-power projects set to kick off in the first quarter: Perimeter Solar Incorporated's (Kincardine, Ontario) $260 million facility in Claresholm, which is expected to generate 130 MW from photovoltaic panels. The project received a crucial boost in September, when TC Energy (NYSE:TRP) (Calgary) (formerly TransCanada Corporation) agreed to purchase 74.25 MW following its completion, according to CBC News. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

In addition to the above-mentioned capital-spending projects, Industrial Info is tracking more than a dozen maintenance-related projects at Canadian power-generation facilities that are set to begin construction over the same period; click here for a list.

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