Northern Ontario's first major hydroelectric project in 40 years will provide more clean power to Ontarians and create up to 800 construction jobs. This project is part of the province's plan to boost the local economy and deliver a strong and reliable energy supply.

TORONTO - August 31, 2010 - Northern Ontario's first major hydroelectric project in 40 years will provide more clean power to Ontarians and create up to 800 construction jobs. This project is part of the province's plan to boost the local economy and deliver a strong and reliable energy supply.

Work at the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Lower Mattagami River Hydroelectric Project has already started, with 300 people already on-site.

The project will add almost 440 megawatts of clean, renewable power to the province's energy supply. When complete, the project will produce enough electricity each year to power over 300,000 homes - almost double the population of Greater Sudbury.

The project will take about five years to complete and more than two-thirds of the work is expected to be done by northern Ontarians. Moose Cree First Nation, as a partner of OPG, will have up to a 25 per cent equity share in the project.

This project supports the province's five-year Open Ontario plan to strengthen the economy, create more jobs and develop more clean energy.

"Creating new economic opportunities for Northern families and Aboriginal communities is an important part of our Open Ontario plan. The Lower Mattagami River Hydroelectric Project will be a huge boost for the North and will provide clean, reliable and cost-effective power to our families and businesses throughout Ontario," said Brad Duguid, Minister of Energy.

"It's very exciting to see the Lower Mattagami Project underway as it will create renewable energy that's available when people need it. The project also builds on the legacy and contributions of publicly-owned power in Ontario. "We're especially proud to have the Moose Cree First Nation as our partners as it marks a new way of doing business in the north," said Tom Mitchell, OPG President and CEO.

"The Moose Cree First Nation's partnership with Ontario Power Generation on the Lower Mattagami Project is the way of the future. The people of Ontario will benefit from secure, green, healthy, and abundant power to fuel our economies and light and warm our homes," said Chief Norman Hardisty, Moose Cree First Nation.

QUICK FACTS
• The Lower Mattagami project will see upgrades to four hydroelectric plants approximately 70 kilometres north of Kapuskasing and 200 kilometres south of Moose Factory. Generating units will be added at three stations (Little Long, Harmon and Kipling) and the station at Smoky Falls will be replaced.

• Water power from hydroelectric facilities accounted for 25 per cent of the electricity generated in Ontario in 2009.

• There are 200 hydroelectric facilities in Ontario. Hydro helps to lower the average overall cost of providing electricity and contributes to affordability.

• Since 2003, almost 8,000 megawatts of new electricity supply have been added in Ontario - equal to more than 20 per cent of current capacity.