Heather Wright/The Independent

Invenergy wants to power up the St. Clair Energy Centre across from NOVA Chemicals on Petrolia Line.

Officials say they’re planning to build a new turbine at the site, increasing the power generation by about 50 per cent.

The provincial government says Ontario will need about 75 per cent more power by 2050 so it’s encouraging more power generation projects.

Invenergy already has one on the go in St. Clair already. It will begin a renovation of the current plant this fall hoping to produce another 68.5 megawatts by the end of November without an expansion.
That, says Shoshanna Pasternak, manager of government affairs for Invenergy, will boost the plant’s output to 654 megawatts.

“That’s a substantial amount of power that it’s pumping into the Ontario grid and helping the community have reliable and affordable power and then enable economic development in the area as well.”

The company is also planning a much larger project; a new turbine on the site which has to potential to generate another 245 megawatts by winning a contract to produce energy until 2050 .

Bryce Nunley, the senior director of Thermal Asset Management for the company, told St. Clair Township council Monday Invenergy is planning to enter a bid with the Independent Electricity System Operator in December for the project.

“Much like the existing facility it will be away from the road,” said Nunley. It will be a standalone unit operating independently of the existing facility. Existing staff of the site would be used to help manage the new turbine.

“The size we’re looking at right now is on the order of 245 megawatts, so roughly on the order of about half of what the existing facility produces. This facility, just like most energy assets, we’re only going to run it when it’s needed to be run,” he added.

Invenergy didn’t say state the value of the project however a similar project in Ontario generating over 400 megawatts is expected to cost $2.2 billion.

Nunley says the St. Clair Energy Centre will need more natural gas to power the new turbine. Invenergy is talking with Enbridge to upgrade the gas pipelines in the area.

The IESO deadline for projects is December. It’s expected to announce a decision on providers by June 2026. “We think we have a pretty good shot. We have a very successful existing site to help support us in this endeavour,” he said.

If Invenergy gets the contract, the power could be flowing from the plant starting May 1, 2030.
Between 50 and 60 construction jobs could be created however the existing employees would likely run the plant.

To place a bid, companies must provide the IESO with a letter of support from the host municipality. St. Clair Township approved that Monday immediately after the company presented its plans.

“I’m so happy that all this stuff is coming,” Mayor Jeff Agar tells The Independent. In May Ontario Power Generation’s Atura Energy outlined its plans for a 500 megawatt natural gas power plant on the site of the former Lambton Generating Station site in Courtright.

Agar says the proposals are “a win-win all the way.”

Invenergy plans a public open house to explain the project. Agar suggests if there is opposition to the plan council would reverse its support. “I can’t see that because everybody seems to be in the same boat, there’s not much of anything (economically) out there right now and it only helps all of us.”