The Canadian province of Ontario joined the ranks of the world’s deregulated electricity markets with a glitch-free market opening on May 1. But a recent blow to the government’s privatisation plans and possible supply shortfalls in the coming summer may spell problems.

Bart Demosky, vice-president of risk services at Ontario Power Generation (OPG), the province’s incumbent electricity generator, says: “The market opening on May 1 was in many ways the opposite of a perfect storm – because