Ontario Power Generation produces almost half of the electricity that Ontario homes, schools, hospitals and businesses rely on each day.

Though you’ve possibly never heard of him, Sir Adam Beck made changes that allowed Ontarians to live a comfortable, productive life. Born in Baden, Ontario, Adam Beck became the Mayor of London and the first Chairman of The Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario. He grew up in the nineteenth century — a time when electric wires did not crisscross the province, and when ordinary people could not access electricity. Beck wanted to change that. He believed that electricity should be affordable for everyone, not just the wealthy and powerful.

“Nothing is too big for us. Nothing is too visionary.”
—Sir Adam Beck, speaking about Ontario

 

“The gifts of nature are for the public,” he said, and the gift of nature he was most determined to harness was the hydroelectric potential of the Niagara River. He was certain that the waterpower of this river could be and should be harnessed. So he made it happen, by overseeing the building of the first generating station near Queenston, Ontario and a canal that diverted water to it from the upper Niagara River.

 

Beck lived to see hydroelectric power begin to flow across Ontario. For his vision and his devotion to the public good, he was knighted by King George V — and became Sir Adam Beck. His statue still stands at a prominent intersection in Toronto, where University Avenue and Queen Street meet.

Sir Adam Beck would not have hesitated to build the world’s largest tunnel. By dreaming big, and making those dreams happen, Ontario Power Generation hopes to follow Sir Beck’s example — to build a clean, renewable future for Ontario.

 In 2014, OPG burned its last piece of coal to make electricity. This was the largest single action to combat climate change in North America to date.

 In 2015, about 60 per cent of the power generated came from OPG’s nuclear power plants and about 40 per cent was generated from the hydroelectric stations.

   

One kilowatt hour (kWh) is a measure of electricity demand or supply per hour. The typical customer uses approximately 800 kWh per month.