Electric power thermal generating station fuel consumption, 2022

Released: 2023-10-31

In 2022, electric thermal plants in Canada generated 202.5 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity, down 3.8%, or 7.9 million MWh, from 2021.

Electricity generation from thermal plants decreased because of lower generation from uranium (-5.8%, or -5.1 million MWh) and coal (-23.8%, or -7.6 million MWh).

Uranium-sourced generation in Ontario accounted for 78.8 million MWh in 2022, a decline of 4.2 million MWh, or 5.1%, from 2021. This decrease was attributable to a greater number of nuclear power stations undergoing refurbishment compared with the previous year. Another significant factor behind the decline in uranium-sourced generation was lower generation at the nuclear power station in New Brunswick, resulting from extensive maintenance work, which accounted for a decrease of 19.9%, or 878,600 MWh.

Continuing the trend observed over the previous six years, generation from coal fell again in 2022. This was attributable to decreases in Alberta (-38.5%, or -6.3 million MWh), Saskatchewan (-11.5%, or -1.1 million MWh) and Nova Scotia (-17.3%, or -803,700 MWh). Across Canada, coal as a source of electricity generation continued to be replaced by other fuel sources, such as natural gas and renewable energy sources. For more information, see the release Electricity supply and disposition, 2022.

Generation from natural gas increased 6.0%, or 4.5 million MWh, in 2022, with growth being led by Alberta (+10.0%, or +4.6 million MWh) and Ontario (+14.5%, or +1.7 million MWh). These two provinces made up 81.1% of generation from natural gas in Canada.

Generation from petroleum products rose 23.7% (+641,000 MWh), mostly because of growth in the Maritime provinces, which was largely due to greater use of heavy fuel oil in New Brunswick for generation (+110.8% or +446,900 MWh). This sharp increase offset the effects of maintenance at the nuclear power station and the shutdown of a natural gas station within the province. Nova Scotia also posted an increase in this fuel (+111.3%, or +122,600 MWh) because of its greater cost effectiveness in 2022. These two provinces made up 33.1% of petroleum product-based generation in Canada.

Nationally, natural gas, coal and uranium continued to be the main fuel sources for thermal electrical generation in 2022, making up 91.6% of the total.

Contact information

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