Owing to a robust hydropower sector, more than 80 percent of Canadian electricity is generated from non-emitting sources, compared to just 39 percent for the United States.
Due to its storage capability and other reliability benefits, greater integration of Canadian hydropower can enable the development and deployment of even greater quantities of variable U.S. renewables, increasing the likelihood of power sector decarbonization in both countries well before mid-century.
More affordable together.
Utility agreements between US and Canadian electricity suppliers, and trade in electricity markets, allows for storage, off-peak sale, and a more efficient use of resources.
US-Canadian electricity interconnectedness creates economies of scale that lower costs for working families. Leveraging existing clean energy infrastructure also reduces the enormous build-out costs for US utilities as they shift from fossil fuels. New cross-boarder transmission can also create jobs and unlock the potential provided by more clean, reliable, and affordable power for both countries.
More resilient together.
Extreme climate events or unprecedented and prolonged weather events, like cold snaps or heat waves, strain the power grid and result in high costs or even black outs.
During a recent extreme cold snap in the Great Plains, two Canadian utilities were able to deliver surplus power to help meet unprecedented US demand. This cross-border transmission kept the lights on and costs down when families needed it most.
The US and Canada can decarbonize their electricity sectors faster and more affordably together.
The United States and Canada have prioritized climate change mitigation with a particular focus on decarbonizing the electricity sector. Both countries have set a goal of going net-zero by at least 2035. But we’ll get there faster together.
Connecting more low-carbon electricity like wind, solar, nuclear and hydropower on both sides of the border with additional transmission capacity can increase trade and enable a more efficient build out of clean electricity infrastructure, helping ensure each country achieves its clean energy goals even more affordably and reliably. Learn more.
