Business

Portage Power acquires two hydroelectric stations from TransAlta Renewables

Portage Power acquires two hydroelectric stations from TransAlta Renewables
(photo courtesy TransAlta Renewables)

Through its subsidiary Portage Power, Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. has acquired two hydroelectric stations on the Mississippi River in Appleton and Galetta Falls, Ontario, Canada, from TransAlta Renewables.

Portage Power is the largest municipally-owned producer of green power in the province of Ontario. With the addition of these two generating stations, the company will now own and operate 18 run-of-river hydroelectric generation plants in Ontario, Quebec and New York, in addition to its 16 solar installations in the city of Ottawa.

The 1 MW Appleton Generating Station was built in 1994 on the site of an old mill and consists of a powerhouse building, intake channel and control dam. The 2 MW Galetta Generating station was built in 1907 and the plant consists of a control dam, intake canal, powerhouse and tailrace channel.

Together these facilities generate an average of 12.5 GWh annually, increasing Portage Power’s total green generation capacity from 128 MW to 131 MW, enough to power about 110,000 homes.

“Given the inextricable link between energy and the environment, how energy is produced matters. This acquisition aligns us with Canada’s goal of a 100 per cent emissions-free electrical grid by 2035 and takes us one step closer to our net-zero operations goal. Investing in green energy will help us build a brighter and more sustainable future for the communities we serve,” said Bryce Conrad, president and chief executive officer, Hydro Ottawa Holding.

Hydroelectric stations provided about 23% of Ontario’s electricity generation in 2020. On average this hydroelectric power is the lowest-cost electricity in Ontario and supports Ontario’s clean energy advantage, according to a release.