Final coal plant closes in Ontario

The Canadian province of Ontario has fulfilled its commitment to close all of its coal-fired power plants by the end of this year.

The last remaining fossil fuel burning facility, Thunder Bay Generating Station, has consumed its last supply of coal and will now be converted into a biomass-fired generating facility.

The province has phased out coal and replaced it with renewable sources such as biomass, as well as wind, solar, nuclear and hydropower.

In addition, the introduction of the Ending Coal for Cleaner Air Act last year means no new coal power plants can be built in the future. According to the Ontario Ministry of Energy, the cost of coal generating was approximately $4.4 billion (€3.2 billion) annually, taking into account health, environmental and financial costs.