Bruce Power and OPG File for Up to Eight New Reactors

The two companies that operate nuclear power plants in Ontario are seeking the green light to build up to eight new reactors, a far more ambitious plan than that touted by the McGuinty government.

Energy Minister Dwight Duncan said last year that a large portion of the $40-billion it plans to spend addressing the province's looming electricity shortage would be earmarked for refurbishing existing nuclear reactors. He said only two new reactors would be built.

However, Bruce Power and Ontario Power Generation have each applied to Canada's nuclear safety regulator to build four new reactors. Company officials played down their expansion plans, saying they merely give them the option of building new reactors or refurbishing existing ones.

But the spectre of up to eight new reactors is fuelling concerns among nuclear-energy opponents that the province will be much more dependent on nuclear power than previously believed.

Interesting. As always, this is something to keep an eye on. Meanwhile, other areas of the province dealing with the prospect of job losses if Ontario goes ahead with plans to shut down a number of coal-fired plants, are making plans to try to attract new plants. From the Toronto Star:

The McGuinty government is determined to close all coal plants in the province, including the massive Nanticoke Generating Station that employs 600 workers in the area. Surrounding communities, fearful of more job loss, are cautiously exploring their options as a 2014 shutdown deadline approaches.

Desperate, they keep coming back to one controversial word: nuclear.

"There's a lot to consider," says Bernie Solymar, one of more than 300 locals who packed a community centre in Port Dover recently for a nuclear "information" session. "I don't think the community has had time to form an opinion."

One thing is for sure: You can't shut down baseload generation and expect to replace it with a non-baseload generation source.

Comments

Randal Leavitt said…

More advice for the Ontario government has been offered:

http://tinyurl.com/3bn2yk

May 9, 2007 at 10:47 PM

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