CALGARY - The chief executive of TransCanada Corp. (TSX:TRP) sees natural gas as a logical substitute for coal when it comes to power generation.
Hal Kvisle (KWIS-lee) says much of the coal-fired power in Western Canada is going to reach the end of its lifespan in the next 20 years - a death that may be sped up by stricter greenhouse gas emissions.
Nuclear power has been often been cited as a low-carbon alternative to coal.
TransCanda, one of the partners in the Bruce Power nuclear plant in Ontario, examined the possibility of bringing that technology to the West, but found there was little appetite for the controversial power source.
Renewables like wind and hydro make up 10 per cent of TransCanada's power portfolio, but those also have limitations when it comes to power generation.
For example, if the wind isn't blowing on a particular day, power consumers need to be assured a reliable source like natural gas can fill the gap.
