February 15, 2026 Ontario Power Generation has signed a partnership agreement with the Municipality of Port Hope to advance potential new nuclear generation at the Wesleyville site. The project is positioned as a cornerstone of Ontario’s long-term energy strategy, with provincial officials framing it as a major investment in jobs, grid reliability and clean power.
Announced as part of Ontario’s push to expand nuclear capacity, the agreement marks an early milestone in planning what could become one of the largest nuclear developments in the province. Early estimates suggest the site could support up to 10,000 megawatts of new generation, enough electricity to power millions of homes if built at scale.
Provincial leaders say the move comes as electricity demand is projected to surge sharply over the coming decades, driven by population growth, electrification and new industrial demand. Without new baseload supply, policymakers warn Ontario could face rising costs or supply shortages similar to outages seen in other jurisdictions.
The Wesleyville site has long been earmarked for energy production and is already zoned for generation, with access to major transmission corridors and Lake Ontario for cooling. Ontario Power Generation submitted an initial project description to federal regulators earlier this year, triggering the start of a multi-year impact assessment and consultation process.
Under the agreement, the municipality and OPG will collaborate during environmental reviews and regulatory approvals while coordinating public engagement and economic planning. The province says the partnership is intended to ensure local participation throughout the development phase and lay the groundwork for a future host municipality agreement.
Officials have highlighted the potential economic footprint as a central selling point. The development is expected to generate thousands of construction and long-term jobs across Ontario, including significant employment gains in the Port Hope region. The project is also projected to contribute substantial economic output over its operational lifespan, reinforcing the province’s push to anchor domestic clean-energy industries.
The province has already allocated readiness funding to support local planning and staffing as assessments move forward. That includes additional financial support aimed at helping Port Hope manage consultations, infrastructure planning and environmental reviews tied to a potential nuclear facility.
Supporters argue nuclear power remains critical to maintaining Ontario’s low-emissions electricity mix, with reactors already supplying roughly half of the province’s grid. Expanding capacity is seen as essential to meeting climate targets while supporting housing growth, electrified transportation and advanced manufacturing.
The announcement aligns with Ontario’s integrated energy strategy, which emphasizes nuclear expansion alongside grid modernization and emerging technologies such as small modular reactors. Industry groups say early planning and community partnerships are key to sustaining Canada’s nuclear supply chain and ensuring long-term investment certainty.
Still, the project faces years of environmental reviews, regulatory scrutiny and consultations with Indigenous communities before construction decisions are made. Like most large nuclear proposals, timelines will likely extend into the next decade, with technical, financial and political hurdles still ahead.
