Ontario Ponders Electricity Reform: Still Optomistic Despite Setbacks, Bad Press

Fortnightly Magazine - July 1 1998
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AS A FOLLOW UP TO OUR APRIL 1 ARTICLE ON CANADIAN-U.S. energy convergence, Public Utilities Fortnightly interviewed Ontario Energy Minister Jim Wilson to find out what's in store for the province as it moves ahead with restructuring its electricity industry. During the interview, which took place shortly after the Market Design Committee released its first interim report on Ontario's electricity restructuring process, Minister Wilson spoke about how collective agreements with labor unions have affected Hydro Ontario's nuclear operations restructuring, lessons learned from this past winter's ice storm, and the future of natural gas and renewables as generating fuels.

What does the Market Design Committee's first interim report say about the progress of restructuring?

We are on two very tight time frames. The Market Design Committee interim report talks about establishing an independent market operator. The Servco - the new services commercial successor company to Ontario Hydro - will be separate in all ways from the independent market operator. And [the report] begins to move into the area of its next phase, [which] will be market power.

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