The Nanticoke power plant was built in 1972, and decommissioned in 2013, following Ontario’s commitment to become the first North American government to eliminate coal-fired electricity generation. Once the largest coal power station in North America Station, its eight generating units could provide 3,964 MW of power into the southern Ontario power grid.

Technology

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) partnered with Six Nations Development Corporation and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation to repurpose the Nanticoke power plant into a 44 MW solar facility. In total, 192,431 solar panels were installed over 158 hectares of land, both on a repurposed coal storage area beside the plant as well as a neighboring field of land east of the former coal yard site.

The new Nanticoke Solar Generating Station was able to leverage the existing transmission switch yard to connect to the transmission grid. The local transmission company was also able to re-use a number of their existing towers, buses and switchyard auxiliary equipment (capacitors, electrical protections, etc.). The solar generation station itself needed a new transformer / substation for the new generating capacity.

Approach

• 2014: Provincial Government initiated the Large Renewable Procurement 1 (LRP1) competitive procurement process, in alignment with Government's desire to transition to a greener energy sector.

• 2015: OPG submitted a proposal to LRP1 to develop the Nanticoke Solar Generating Station.

• 2016: Solar Generating Station won the LRP1 bid.

• 2017: Detailed engineering began.

• Early 2018: Construction of the new Solar Generating Station began with the creation of access roads and fencing.

• February 2018: Demolition of the old coal plant began with the two smoke stacks.

• August 2018: Demolition of the coal plant powerhouse. Materials were then sorted for sale and re-use by local businesses, and the site was cleaned up.

• March 2019: Solar Generating Station is put in-service.

• 2021-2022: Site remediation work.