Ontario Power Generation export application

Summary#

• Ontario Power Generation Inc. has applied to the Canada Energy Regulator to export up to 12 000 000 MWh of electricity per year for 10 years.
• The application (filed 9 April 2026) is open for written comments; the regulator is asking for views before it decides whether to issue a permit or move to a licensing process.

What it does#

• Asks permission to export up to 12 000 000 MWh of combined firm and interruptible electricity each year for 10 years.
• Provides the regulator with the company’s capacity details as of 31 December 2025: 17 395 megawatts (MW) made up of 2 nuclear generating stations, 66 hydroelectric stations, 2 thermal stations, 1 solar facility, and 4 combined‑cycle gas turbine stations. It also notes 2 other nuclear stations are leased to Bruce Power L.P..
• The Commission of the Canada Energy Regulator is asking for public comments and will consider them before deciding whether to grant a permit or refer the application to a formal licensing process.
• Deadlines:
  • Written submissions to the regulator and the applicant are due by 18 May 2026.
  • Any replies from the applicant to those submissions are due by 2 June 2026.
• The application is available on the Canada Energy Regulator website and can be requested by email from the applicant.

Who's affected#

• Electricity market participants in Canada and the United States, including potential buyers and grid operators.
• Governments and regulators in provinces other than Ontario, because the regulator asked specifically about effects on other provinces.
• People or businesses in Canada who previously declared an interest in buying electricity for consumption in Canada — the regulator will want to know whether they were offered a chance to buy under comparable conditions.
• Others who monitor cross‑border power flows, such as utilities, large industrial consumers, and energy advocacy or environmental groups.

Why it matters#

• Approving a large, long‑term export can change how much electricity is available in Canada versus what is sold abroad.
• The regulator is explicitly asking whether the exports would affect provinces other than Ontario and whether Canadian buyers were given a fair chance to buy the power first. That speaks to domestic supply and fairness concerns.
• This is an application, not a decision. Public views submitted by the deadlines could influence whether the export is allowed and under what conditions.