A Newfoundland and Labrador submission to the Senate Energy Committee said Canada must double or triple its electricity target to meet 2050 climate targets, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. .“To achieve its goal of a net zero electricity sector by 2035, Canada will need 121 terawatt hours of new supply to replace carbon sources,” said Energy NL in a submission. .“That is the equivalent of four Churchill Falls.”.Newfoundland’s Churchill Falls Generation Station is the largest hydroelectric plant in Canada outside Quebec. .“To meet net zero 2050 targets, Canada’s electricity generation capacity needs to grow by two to three times bigger than today,” said Energy NL. .It called achieving net zero by 2050 “likely not possible without the support of multiple levels of government.” This support must be financial, legislative, and policy. .Cabinet released draft clean electricity regulations confirming ratepayers will pay up to 15% more in provinces which rely on coal and natural gas. .“For provinces that currently rely more heavily on emitting technology to generate electricity, higher incremental rate increases are expected,” said cabinet. .It predicted by 2040 rate hikes would average $485 more per year in Nova Scotia, $154 in Alberta, $111 in Saskatchewan, and $55 in New Brunswick..Rates per kilowatt hour would increase 3.9 cents for households in Nova Scotia, 1.2 cents in Alberta, 0.9 cents in Saskatchewan, and 0.4 cents in New Brunswick. .“Commercial and industrial rate changes in each province would follow a similar pattern,” said cabinet. .The Alberta United Conservative Party said in May it was prepared to challenge the Canadian government over commitments to decarbonize its electricity grid to net zero by 2035..READ MORE: UCP threatens to challenge Ottawa on net-zero electricity timeline.Alberta Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean and Environment and Protected Areas Minister Rebecca Schulz said a UCP government would stick to international commitments to have it done by 2050 and asserted the Canadian government is overstepping its jurisdiction in forcing provinces to do it sooner..While the Canadian government has the authority to enter into treaties such as the Paris Accord, it is up to the provinces to implement those commitments. Those commitments set a deadline of 2050, not 2035.
