Ontario to Get North America’s Largest Solar Plant

Plans for a 40MW solar power plant, the largest in North America, have been announced by the Canadian authorities. It should be operational from 2010.

The 365 hectare installation will be based in southwestern Ontario and should power up to 24,000 houses. Construction will be undertaken by OptiSolar Farms Canada Inc with the cost expected to be up to C$80m.

"This is an exciting development in Ontario's quest for cleaner power and in our efforts to minimise our ecological footprint," Ontario energy minister Dwight Duncan told a press conference.

The plant will form part of Ontario’s Standard Offer Programme, encouraging 14 new, renewable energy projects and projected to inject some 1,000MW into the Ontario power grid.