OTTAWA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday announced a new National Electricity Strategy to double the power grid capacity by 2050.
The strategy will build the infrastructure needed to double the country's electricity generation, requiring major investments in the generation of more clean energy, transmission, distribution, storage, and grid modernization, said a news release on the prime minister's official website.
It will connect Canada's fragmented grids East-West-North through new and expanded transmission lines, said the release, adding that the current provincial and territorial grids are costing billions of dollars in outages, duplicative infrastructure, and wasted power.
"In a rapidly changing and more volatile world, Canada is taking control of our future ... When we master energy, we master our destiny," said Carney, cited in the release.
"Countries around the world are waking up to the fact that a modern economy needs a modern power grid, and that energy security is national security," said Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson, calling for having a strong, affordable, sovereign grid for years to come.
The strategy also promises to adjust clean electricity regulations to provide the flexibility needed to lower total energy costs for seven in 10 Canadian households, according to the release.
