Powering Canada: A blueprint for success
Philippe Dunsky (Chair) President Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors Pete Bothwell Vice President, Energy Transition and Industry Relations, Canadian Utilities Ltd. (ATCO Electric) Jason Dion 1
Soaring electricity demand and the growing impact of extreme weather are both leaving Canada's electrical grid exposed to outages and supply shortfall — but major investments could be made to change that, an energy watchdog finds.
Canada is not alone in facing these pressures. Globally, grid integration has become a priority to prepare grids for a changing climate (extreme events), rapid electrification, and the growth of renewable energy. Isolated grids are costlier and less reliable, as illustrated by the 2016 blackout in South Australia and the 2021 power crisis in Texas.
Home / Publications / Research / Powering the Federation: A Blueprint for National Electricity Integration in Canada • Canada's power grids remain divided by provincial borders, limiting efficiency and reliability. While goods, services, and capital move across provinces, barriers still limit cooperation – and electricity is no exception.
Climate risk strategies are crucial for proactively strengthening grids, and one study from the Canadian Climate Institute indicated that such proactive measures could slash damage costs by as much as 80 percent by the end of the century. Canada's electricity grid is not ready.
Philippe Dunsky (Chair) President Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors Pete Bothwell Vice President, Energy Transition and Industry Relations, Canadian Utilities Ltd. (ATCO Electric) Jason Dion 1
Grid modernization is critical to achieving net zero and helps reduce capital investments needed by allowing further integration of renewables.
Canada''s electrical infrastructure faces a clear and present danger. A perfect storm of intensifying extreme weather, soaring electricity demand, and lagging infrastructure investment is pushing the grid to its
Budget 2025 also advances procurement reforms under the Buy Canadian Policy, mandating that federal departments, agencies, and Crown corporations prioritize Canadian suppliers for infrastructure and
Canada''s power grid is made up of three primary systems: the Western grid, the Eastern grid, and the Quebec grid, which includes Atlantic Canada. While the provinces are responsible for generating their
Soaring electricity demand and the growing impact of extreme weather are both leaving Canada''s electrical grid exposed to outages and supply shortfall — but major investments could be made to change
Canada must modernize its grid planning, with a focus on integration, to stay competitive as the world decarbonizes and electrifies. Until recently, the political climate around grid integration in Canada was
The Government, NESO and Ofgem have released their proposals for urgently needed grid connection reforms. Ahead of the potential changes, we''ve broken down the key points to help keep you up
Smart Grid Program This $100 million program saw investments to better utilize electricity assets, and foster innovation and clean jobs for the demonstration of smart grid technologies and the deployment of
NERC''s latest report underscores urgent grid vulnerabilities. This post explores why smarter interconnection planning—not just infrastructure—holds the key to resilience across Canada and the broader
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