Keith Hobbs wants Premier Kathleen Wynne to reverse the decision to stop the conversion of the Thunder Bay Power Generating Station to natural gas.
Barring that, he wants an apology, similar to the one Wynne issued Tuesday in a televised TVO interview, taking ownership of the cancellation of a pair of natural gas power plants in southern Ontario, a decision made by her predecessor that cost taxpayers more than $500 million.
“If we don’t get an apology, it’s kind of a slap in the face for the North, the Northwest in particular and for Thunder Bay,” Hobbs said on Wednesday, after attending the graduation of 21 students at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School.
“However I don’t (really) want an apology. I just want the premier to do the right thing and just order (Energy) Minister (Bob) Chiarelli to get our hydro plant converted to gas and get us going here. It’s taken way too long.”
The region’s Energy Task Force met with the Ontario Power Authority earlier this month, presenting updated power-need projections.
Late last year then Energy Minister Chris Bentley halted the conversion of the TBPGS from coal to natural gas, saying it would save up to $400 million.
At the time OPA officials claimed the region would need far less power by decade’s end than the ETF was saying, underestimating the mining potential in Northwestern Ontario, Hobbs said.
The mayor says he wants to believe that because Wynne and Chiarelli have not brought the conversion stoppage to the front burner, it’s a good sign.
“It’s taken way too long, so I’m taking it as a good sign that she’s not going to apologize to Thunder Bay, that she’s going to order the conversion of the plant. At least that’s what I hope is going to happen. If not, then she does need to apologize to us as well,” Hobbs said.
The ETF had talked about sending a letter to Chiarelli demanding action, but Hobbs said in light of the most recent development, they’d take a wait-and-see approach.
“I think (Wynne) gets it. I’m going to give her some time to make that decision and get this plant converted.”
Hobbs said the city is convinced its numbers are right, the mines are coming on stream and there is no available surplus power from Manitoba or Minnesota that can be used to fill the power shortages they’re projecting could be necessary, at least until new transmission lines are put in place.
“We need this plant, we need it open and we need it converted. The sooner we do it the better. The further it goes along, we’re looking at brownouts and blackouts in the wintertime, and that’s just not tolerable.”
The premier is unaware the city is looking for an apology, Hobbs added.
Hobbs would like an answer no later than July 1.
