OPG’s Niagara Queen II icebreaker shatters ice and records this winter

At a glance

• OPG’s Niagara Queen II icebreaker on the Niagara River worked overtime this January as it broke up a massive ice formation.
• Working alongside the New York Power Authority’s (NYPA) icebreaker, the Niagara Queen II helped smash a 2.5-square-kilometre ice stop to keep the water and power flowing on both sides of the border.
• The successful operation ensured reliable power generation from OPG’s Sir Adam Beck hydro facilities.

Smashing records while smashing ice — it’s been a busy winter for OPG’s Niagara Queen II icebreaker.

In January, as a relentless deep freeze gripped Ontario, the Queen II set a record as the vessel and its crew worked around the clock for 30 days to break up a massive ice stop, keeping the water and power flowing on both sides of the border.

At its height, the ice formation on the Niagara River covered about 2.5 square kilometres, about the same area as 350 soccer pitches — the largest on the river since 2019.

A frozen river can quickly cause problems — from flooding to reductions in power generation output. This can create issues for hydro stations like OPG’s Sir Adam Beck complex. For this reason, having reliable ice-breaking vessels on the upper Niagara River is crucial during the winter months.

Thankfully, the 85-tonne Niagara Queen II and its three-person crew were up to the task this winter, as it worked alongside the NYPA’s William H. Latham icebreaker.

As a result, OPG’s Sir Adam Beck I and II Generating Stations achieved production that was 7% higher than the 10-year average. Combined, the Beck I and II facilities generate more than 2,000 megawatts of power for Ontario, or enough to power the equivalent of almost 2 million homes.

OPG’s predecessor, Ontario Hydro, first began deploying an icebreaker in the early 1960s with the Niagara Queen, a modified tugboat icebreaker.

Both OPG and NYPA continue to invest in the upkeep of their icebreakers, as well as training for staff, helping ensure these critical vessels are always ready to help keep the lights on for Ontario and New York state.

.