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TORONTO – The Ontario government has made the decision to expand the largest competitive energy procurement in the province’s history by 50 per cent to meet soaring energy demand.

The procurement has increased from 5,000 megawatts (MW) to up to 7,500 MW to ensure Ontario has the reliable and affordable electricity, a release reads.

Since the , Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) has released an updated electricity demand forecast which now shows the province will need 75 per cent more electricity by 2050.

This is the equivalent of adding four-and-a-half cities the size of Toronto to the grid. “To meet this growing demand, the government directed IESO to begin the government’s Second Long-Term Procurement (LT2) and implement the increased procurement target,” the release continues.

Alongside the launch of the LT2 procurement, the government has asked the IESO to report back on options to run two additional procurements, which includes:

• Options for a procurement of long-lead energy resources, including hydro and long-duration energy storage.

• Options for a program to re-contract existing and acquire new-build small-scale electricity generation, such as smaller solar installations, that connect directly to the province’s distribution system.