Ontario's grid operator, the Independent Electricity System Operator, has signed a contract to import 600 megawatts of electricity from the United States this winter, the Toronto Star and CBC News reported. The contract starts November 1, the outlets reported. CBC News reported that it runs for six months.

The deal is with Alpha Generation, a US company, the outlets reported. The Star reported that Alpha Generation runs fossil fuel plants in the US Northeast and California, including the oil-fired Oswego plant in New York state. No price was given in the announcement, the Star reported.

The operator said the extra power will cover "facility maintenance" but did not give details, the outlets reported. The province began a multi-year refurbishment of the Pickering nuclear plant in September, they reported.

The deal comes after Premier Doug Ford threatened to cut off power exports to the US in the trade war, the outlets reported. Ford made the threat in August, they reported. In March 2025, Ford put a 25% surcharge on power exports to the US and lifted it the next day, the Star reported.

The operator said Ontario still exports about seven times as much power as it imports, the outlets reported.

"Ontario's electricity system remains reliable, and securing additional short-term capacity provides greater flexibility," operator spokesperson Michael Dodsworth wrote, according to the Star. CBC News reported that the operator called the contract part of "normal system planning."

Critics faulted the deal. "This deal just increases our dependency on Donald Trump's America to keep our lights on," said Jack Gibbons, chair of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, according to the Star. Keith Brooks of Environmental Defence Canada said, "The government has mismanaged this file," CBC News reported.

Lewis Krashinsky, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University, said the contract will "undercut" Ford's stance on using power as a bargaining chip, CBC News reported. The province referred questions to the operator, the outlets reported.

What we know: Ontario will import 600 megawatts of US power starting November 1 under a deal with Alpha Generation.
What we don't: What the deal costs, and exactly which maintenance it covers.