William Birch Rankine Power Station



View from Niagara Parkway (R. Munro)
 


Plaque of inauguration by Canadian Power Company for The William Birch Power Station (R.Munro)
 


Generating units inside the building (R. Bobak)
 


Ice sheets on retention pond (R. Bobak)
 

General Information

The William Birch Rankine Power Station is a hydro electric station that resides along the Canadian side of the Niagara River. These generators are decommissioned however they are maintained by a small number of staff in case of an instance when they are needed.


Historical

William Birch Rankine of Geneva, New York came to Niagara Falls in 1877 at the age of 19.The Station was built in 1905 for the Canadian Niagara Power Corporation. In 1907, the Rankine Power Station provided the first electricity to the Village of Fort Erie. By 1927, construction of the Rankine Power Station was completed.In 2000, the Fortis Incorporated Power Group purchased this hydro-electric power generating station by Ontario Power Generation.

Cultural

The water rights agreement for the William Rankine Power station expires in 2009. It would cost the city too much money to tranistion from its current 25 cycle to a 60 cycle power. It would be too hard to compete with the interest of more efficiently energy producing stations downstream. Ironically, the Rankine Power station receives its power from Sir Adam Beck Power Station to stay operating.

Further Reading

Industrial and Infrastructure Photography at NTROPY.US

History

FortisOntario

It is an exciting time in Ontario and within FortisOntario. As a 100% Canadian-owned utility company, FortisOntario has a rich history of providing hydro-electric generation, transmission and distribution services for over 100 years in the province of Ontario.

Adjacent Land Uses

There is $20 parking behind the building for the general public.

The Niagara Parkway runs right beside the building and over the waterflow area.

Dufferin Islands is just south of the power station.

Directions

From Buffalo:

Cross the Peace Bridge into Canada

Take exit 21 for NY-384/Buffalo Ave toward R. Moses Parkway/New York State Park American Falls.

Keep right at the fork to continue toward Lasalle Express

Continue onto Robert Moses parkway.

Slight right toward John Daly Blvd

Staight onto John Daly Blvd

Left at Niagara St/NY-384 N

Continue to follow NY-384 N

NY-384 N turns slightly left and becomes Rainbow Bridge (Entering Ontario, Canada)

Continue onto Rainbow Bridge (Partial toll road)

Right at Falls Ave

Right onto Hiram Street

Right at River Road

Continue onto the Niagara River Parkway and destination will be on the right.

From Toronto:

Get on QEW Niagara over Garden City Skyway in St. Catharines

Take exit toward Dorchester Rd

Left at King's Highway 420

Continue onto Falls Avenue

Continue onto the Niagara River Parkway

The William Birch Power Station is on the right hand side

It is located just south of Table Rock information centre

Ownership & Management

FortisOntario

Address

William Birch Rankine Power Station
Niagara River Parkway
Niagara Falls, Ontario

GPS Co-ordinates

Latitude: 43.074412
Longitude: -79.078780
UTM easting: 656408
UTM northing: 4770869

Map


This point of interest is one of many on the GuideTags app –
a free digital interpretive guide that features thematic tours, routes, and discovery sessions,
and automatically tells geolocated stories about the places that surround us.
Download the app today, and start exploring!
Contact us if you would like to create your own content.
Report an error or inappropriate content.