The Ontario Power Authority, which is responsible for carrying out Ontario's energy plans, recommended on Wednesday that the province keep half its remaining coal-fired power stations open for another eight years.

"Coal-fired generation potentially can be replaced by 2011-2012," the OPA said in a report.

"Reliability considerations suggest, however, retaining the option of maintaining about 3,000 megawatts of coal capacity until 2014 as insurance against possible delays in acquiring other resources."

The Ontario government, concerned about pollution from its five coal-fired power plants, had originally wanted to close them by the end of 2007. But that date has been pushed back repeatedly because of fears the province could not meet electricity demand without the stations.

One coal-fired plant has already closed. The remaining four account for about 21 percent of Ontario's 30,000 megawatt electricity capacity.

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