In Belize, Belize Electric Company Limited (“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 was 167 GWh in 2007, a
slight decrease from the previous year due to lower rainfall levels.
Production was still above expected levels based on historical average
rainfall. BECOL sells its entire output to Belize Electricity under a 50 year
Power Purchase Agreement (“PPA”).
In May 2007, construction began on the US$53 million 18-MW Vaca hydroelectric
generating facility situated approximately five kilometres downstream of
Mollejon. Vaca is the final phase of the three-part hydroelectric development
plan for the Macal River. The run-of-river facility will increase average
annual energy production from the Macal River by approximately 80 GWh to 240
GWh. Belize Electricity has signed a 50-year PPA with BECOL for the
purchase of energy generated by the Vaca facility, commencing late in 2009.
In Ontario, non-regulated operations include 75 MW of water-right entitlement
associated with the Rankine hydroelectric generating station at Niagara Falls,
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. Abitibi-Consolidated
continues to use the historical annual generation while the additional energy
produced as a result of the project is sold to Newfoundland Hydro under a
30-year PPA. The Exploits Partnership achieved production of 137 GWh in
2007.
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 of these modern facilities is
sold at the wholesale level through a series of renewable contracts.
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