Home > Fortis Companies > Fortis Generation
Fortis Generation includes the operations of non-regulated generating assets in Belize, Ontario, central Newfoundland, British Columbia and Upper New York State with a combined generating capacity of 195 MW, 190 MW of which is hydroelectric generation.
 

In Belize, BECOL owns and operates the 25-MW Mollejon and 7-MW Chalillo hydroelectric generating facilities located on the Macal River. Mollejon and Chalillo are the largest commercial hydroelectric generating facilities in Belize. Energy production hit a record high of 192 GWh in 2008 due to above-average rainfall. The Belize Meteorological Office confirmed that the flood-control features of the Chalillo facility significantly reduced the impact on downstream communities of widespread flooding related to heavy rainfall in November. Construction of the US$53 million 19-MW Vaca hydroelectric generating facility continued and is scheduled for completion at the beginning of 2010. Vaca, a run-of-river plant situated approximately five kilometres downstream from Mollejon, is the final phase of the three-part hydroelectric development plan for the Macal River. BECOL sells its entire output to Belize Electricity under a 50-year PPA. Belize Electricity has signed a 50-year PPA with BECOL for the purchase of energy generated by Vaca. When it comes online, Vaca is expected to increase the average annual energy production from the Macal River by approximately 80 GWh to 240 GWh.

In Ontario, non-regulated operations include 75 MW of water-right entitlement associated with the Rankine hydroelectric generating station at Niagara Falls, which expires in April 2009; a 5-MW gas-fired cogeneration plant in Cornwall; and six small hydroelectric generating stations in eastern Ontario with a combined capacity of 8 MW. With the exception of the cogeneration plant in Cornwall, the electricity produced from these facilities is sold in Ontario at market prices.

In central Newfoundland, Fortis Generation holds a 51 per cent interest in the Exploits River Hydro Partnership (“Exploits Partnership”) with Abitibi-Consolidated Company of Canada (“Abitibi-Consolidated”). The Exploits Partnership was established in 2001 and commenced operations in 2003 following the development of additional capacity at Abitibi-Consolidated’s two hydroelectric generating plants in central Newfoundland. The Exploits Partnership achieved annual production of 177 GWh in 2008. In December 2008, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador passed legislation expropriating most of Abitibi-Consolidated’s assets in Newfoundland including those assets associated with the generation of electricity, some of which included the capital assets of the Exploits Partnership. The provincial government has publicly stated that it is not its intention to adversely affect the business interests of lenders or independent partners of Abitibi-Consolidated in the province.

In British Columbia, the non-regulated generating asset is the 16-MW run-of-river Walden hydroelectric generating plant near Lillooet, which was acquired in May 2004 as part of the assets of FortisBC. The plant sells its entire output to BC Hydro under a long-term contract.

In Upper New York State, the non-regulated generating assets are four hydroelectric generating stations located in Moose River, Philadelphia, Dolgeville and Diana. The plants have a combined capacity of approximately 23 MW. The average annual 85 GWh of energy output from these modern facilities is sold at the wholesale level through a series of renewable contracts.