Cherise Burda, Ontario Policy Director for the Pembina Institute, made the following statement in response to the Ontario government's decision today to suspend the procurement of two new nuclear plants at Darlington:
"The Pembina Institute applauds the Ontario government's decision today to suspend the procurement of two new nuclear plants at Darlington. However, the delay should be long enough to give time and space for the Green Energy Act to produce results," says Cherise Burda, the Pembina Institute's Ontario Policy Director.
"Today's delay which was made on the basis of pricing, should not be resolved through more federal subsidies by lowering AECL's bid. More government bail-outs are not the answer. Let's put our investment in a green energy future and get green energy jobs into action instead."
"The Premier should delay the decision to buy new reactors until the province's plan for electricity is reviewed again in three years. Nuclear costs are increasing, electricity demand is falling and the Green Energy Act provides an opportunity for green power to play an increased role in Ontario's electricity sector," added Burda.
Earlier this month, Ontario's 13 top sustainable energy and environmental organizations sent a letter urging the Premier to forgo spending billions on new nuclear and instead put his Green Energy Act to work by replacing the aging Pickering B nuclear station with green energy. For more information and to see the letter at
www.renewableisdoable.com
The Pembina Institute is a non-partisan sustainable energy think tank.
Contact:
Cherise Burda
Ontario Policy Director
Cell: 416-824-0256
416-644-1016 ext 1
cheriseb@pembina.org