St. Clair Energy Centre
To help meet the provinces growing need for reliable and efficient electricity, the St. Clair Energy Centre is proposing modernization upgrades and an expansion of the facility. The upgrades and expansion would add up to an additional 180 megawatts (MW) of electricity generation capacity and be completed as two separate projects.
Project 1 - Upgrade of St. Clair Energy Centre
Upgrading the facility involves increasing plant capacity through process improvements and equipment upgrades. This will require no physical expansion of the plant footprint and will add approximately 60 MWs of generating capacity.
Project 2 - Expansion of St. Clair Energy Centre
Expansion of the facility involves the addition of a new gas turbine(s), or reciprocating engines, to achieve approximately 100-120 MWs of additional generating capacity. This would require the expansion of the plant footprint and other upgrades to infrastructure.
Ontario Regulation 116/01 (Electricity Projects Regulation) requires that an Environmental Review Report (ERR) be prepared for proposed upgrades and expansions of existing energy facilities.
St. Clair Energy Centre began this permitting and approval process in 2022 and will conduct archaeological studies, as well as public and Indigenous engagement activities that will be incorporated into the project ERR.
The ERR will also identify applicable authorizations, notifications, permits or approvals, environmental effects of the project, and mitigation measures to be implemented. The St. Clair Energy Centre is planning to submit permits to agencies and anticipate approval of the Project in late 2023 or early 2024.
The overall environmental assessment process and opportunities for consultation and engagement activities are outlined in the EA Process and Consultation Flow Chart.
The St. Clair Energy Centre hosted a Virtual Information Session for the community, Indigenous and other stakeholders between Thursday, December 8, 2022 and Thursday, December 22, 2022.
If you are interested in accessing the presentation recording, presentation slides, or the transcript of the presentation they can be found in the Documents section of the website.
Stakeholder and Indigenous engagement is a key component of the St. Clair Energy Centre upgrade and expansion projects and we welcome your input. After December 22, 2022, if you are interested in participating, or have questions about the material presented, please contact a project representative using info@stclairenergycentre.com.
The St. Clair Energy Centre upgrade and expansion is a chance to invest in the County of Lambton and St. Clair Township economy by supporting jobs during construction and operation of the facilities, expanding local taxes, and producing electricity in the community.
Based on a preliminary assessment, the upgrade of the existing facility is anticipated to contribute approximately $1.6 million into the community in the form of local jobs during construction.
For the expansion of the facility, it is estimated construction will take approximately 2 years, creating 450 jobs in the local community during that time. Construction jobs will require civil, electrical, and mechanical engineers, welders, and heavy equipment operators, among others. It is anticipated that 1 or 2 full-time jobs will be created to assist in the operation of the expansion facility, depending on the type of equipment chosen.
St. Clair Energy Centre intends to propose an expansion and modernization as a part of the Independent Electricity System Operators Expedited Long-Term Request for Proposal (E-LT1 RFP), which is seeking to add additional electricity generation capacity to the grid.
In early 2022, the St. Clair Energy Centre began the permitting process for the planned upgrade and expansion. The permitting and approvals process is anticipated to continue through the middle of 2023, with approvals obtained by the end of 2023 or early 2024.
Procurement of equipment for upgrading the capacity of the existing facility will occur during 2024 with installation of the new components in early 2025. The upgraded facility will be operational prior to May 2025.
Detailed design, procurement of equipment, and construction, related to the expansion of the St. Clair Energy Centre, will occur in 2024 and 2025. The expansion of the St. Clair Energy Centre will be in service prior to May 2026.
St. Clair Energy Centre – Upgrade of Existing Facility
Development: 2023-2024
Project Construction: Spring 2025
Operation: April 2025
St. Clair Energy Centre – Expansion of Facility
Development: 2023-2024
Project Construction: Fall 2024 - Spring 2026
Operation: April 2026
Building on its nearly 15 years of operational experience, the St. Clair Energy Centre is excited to propose additional investment in the community, which produces local electrical generation right here in St. Clair Township.
Secure and reliable power is a key component of strong communities and economies. An expanded and upgraded St. Clair Energy Centre will support new jobs and tax revenues, while helping meet the province’s growing need for more electricity.