Cornwall’s power plant is getting $600 million from the province

The Ontario government will today announce a major funding boost for a renovation project in Cornwall.

The government says it will support Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) plan to renovate the RH Saunders plant on the St. Lawrence. The government will give $600 million to the project, which would upgrade 16 units at the station, allowing it to produce more electricity from less water.

A press conference will be held in Cornwall at 10.30am to provide more details on the project.

The project, which OPG says began in January 2023, is expected to be completed by 2039.

“This renovation program – part of our Powering Ontario growth plan – will create jobs and ensure we have the power we need for the next major international investment, the new homes we build and industries as they grow and electrifying,” said Energy Secretary Todd. Smith in a press release.

The RH Saunders Generating Station, built in 1958, is the second largest hydro facility in the province. It is part of the larger Moses-Saunders Power Dam, shared with the United States. It was last revised in the late 1990s and early 2000s, OPG says.

The renovation will include major rehabilitation of generating equipment through civil, electrical and mechanical improvements, the government says. Once completed, the station is expected to produce up to 160 gigawatt-hours of additional clean electricity each year, equivalent to powering more than 19,000 homes.

“The City of Cornwall welcomes the province’s investment in the RH Saunders Generating Station,” said Mayor Justin Towndale. “This renovation project will ensure the facility can continue to provide clean energy for decades to come, while creating hundreds of skilled jobs in our community.”