Purpose:

For well over a century hydroelectric power has been produced in Ontario. Still recognized as a vital source of energy, waterpower contributes approximately 26% (7,800 MW) of all electricity used in the province. Since waterpower is a renewable and green source of energy, it has been given much attention over recent years. Global climate change, fossil fuel dependency, and increased greenhouse gas emissions have become the most important issues in Canada today. Waterpower helps to resolve each of these problems since it uses very little fossil fuels and emits minimal greenhouse gases when compared to the amount of hydroelectric power it produces.

Canadian leaders have struggled with finding a solution that would allow Canada to meet the Kyoto Protocol target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to a level 5% lower than what was produced in 1990 by 2012. In order to meet this goal, increased hydroelectric power would make significant advances in relieving Canada’s dependency on energy sources such as coal and nuclear power that emit high levels of greenhouse gases.

Ontario also faces the issue of refurbishing or replacing approximately 25,000 MW of older, less environmentally friendly generating equipment. This is a huge undertaking as the province presently has 31,000 MW of installed generating capacity in total. With Coal producing only approximately 6,500 MW, and peak demand around 27,000 MW, Ontario must turn to newer sources such as hydroelectric power in order to meet provincial energy demands.

Proposed Concept:

Lizard Creek Power Inc. is proposing a small hydroelectric power plant which would produce 4.5gWh of energy annually. Lizard Creek is a tributary to the Serpent River, located in the North Shore Township, 20 km southeast of the City of Elliot Lake, Ontario. The plant would be located approximately 300m upstream of the Lizard Creek/Serpent River junction point. The entire project would consist of a flow conveyance channel, water control structure, penstock, powerhouse (or power plant), and new transmission line. The channel would divert water from Lizard Creek at 2.66 cms into the control structure, regulating flows into the 300m penstock. The penstock would be connected to a power plant, housing a 1.0 MW horizontal Francis double runner turbine which operates a synchronous generator. The generator will produce electricity conveyed by a new transmission line to the nearest existing Hydro One transmission line 1 km away.