Ontario emissions down on fewer coal power plants

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Ontario's global warming greenhouse gas emissions have been cut 29 percent in the past three years and are now less than 1990 levels, the Ontario Ministry of Energy announced on Thursday.

"By replacing coal-fired generation with conservation and cleaner, greener power sources, our government is demonstrating its strong commitment to fighting climate change and protecting the air we all breathe," Energy Minister Dwight Duncan said in a press statement.

From 2003 to 2006, power generation from coal plants has fallen 32 percent, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the ministry said. The emissions cut is the amount that would be produced by 2 million cars.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty in June 2005 announced plans to retire all coal-fired generation and replace it with other generation sources by 2009, but that date may be pushed back if reliable delivery of power is not assured.

"Acid rain and smog-causing emission rates last year from sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) were the lowest since 1983, when Ontario started to record this information," said the press statement. "Sulphur dioxide emissions have been reduced by 44 percent since 2003, while NOx emissions have declined 46 percent since 2003."

Coal makes up about 16 percent of the power generated for Ontario, down from a 25 percent share in 2003, "as conservation, nuclear power and renewable energy increasingly contribute to the province's total supply."