Campaign for Nuclear Phaseout
Media Release
For release August 13, 1997
PROBLEMS AT ONTARIO NUCLEAR PLANTS POINT TO NEED FOR VIABLE ENERGY STRATEGY
Pickering and Bruce closures, liability of reactor performance in general,
point to phase out of nuclear power as only viable option say environment
groups.
Ottawa -- August 13, 1997
Operational and safety problems at seven of Ontario Hydro's nuclear reactors
are not unique and point to the need for a shift to sustainable energy
alternatives say representatives of environmental groups. "Perhaps
the only surprising thing about the Ontario Hydro decision on closures
is how long it took to reach this point, given decades of operational and
radioactive containment problems", stated Kristen Ostling, Coordinator
of the Campaign for Nuclear Phaseout. "Escalating operational costs,
as well as maintenance and safety problems have characterized reactor operations
not only in Ontario but Quebec and New Brunswick as well".
Ostling noted that Ontario Hydro's plan to use fossil fuel plants to offset
some of the capacity that will be lost in shutting down the nuclear plants,
has apparently been made without serious reference to renewable energy
alternatives, a point echoed by representatives of other public interest
groups. "I think it would be an oversight of staggering proportions
were the province of Ontario to not produce a comprehensive plan for the
transition to sustainable power production", stated Louise Comeau
of the Sierra Club of Canada. Comeau noted that "the decision to go
with fossil fuels, contrary to Ontario Hydro's assertions, threatens commitments
to reducing pollution that leads to climate change, acid rain and smog.
The province needs to take a serious and unbiased look at efficiency and
renewable energy, particularly in light of the billions of dollars they
plan to spend."
In 1996, Ontario environment groups produced a report which found that
efficiency and renewable energy sources have an estimated generating capacity
of 25,400 MW. This potential capacity is roughly 70% more than would be
required were nuclear power to be entirely eliminated in Ontario.
At the national level the "opportunity costs" to the Canadian
economy of public subsidies to the Canadian nuclear industry (approximately
$15.2 billion to date), amount to approximately $161.2 billion dollars.
The latter figure represents the amount of money that would have been generated
had the federal government taken public monies given to the nuclear industry
and invested it in "break-even" ventures.
The Campaign for Nuclear Phaseout, Sierra Club of Canada, Energy Probe
and other organizations have long advocated a phase out of nuclear power
both on the basis of environmental considerations such as the release of
radioactive materials and the disposition of nuclear waste, and on the
basis of cost. The groups have pointed out that most of Ontario Hydro's
$34 billion dollar debt has been incurred as a result of costs associated
with the operation of CANDU reactors.
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For more information, contact:
Campaign for Nuclear Phaseout, 613-789-3634, e-mail: cnp@web.net, web: www.cnp.ca
Sierra Club of Canada, 613-241-4611, e-mail: sierra@web.net, web: www.sierraclub.ca/national