TORONTO. Ontario needs to consider all of the options available to it for meeting its future electricity demand before turning to the expensive and risky path of building new nuclear generating facilities, said the Pembina Institute and Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) today. The OPG Review Committee, in its report released March 15th, recommended the construction of new nuclear facilities to meet the province's future electricity needs.
"The Ontario government must not let itself be pushed into multi-billion dollar irrevocable commitments to nuclear energy by scare-mongering," said Theresa McClenaghan, counsel with the CELA. "That's exactly how the previous government allowed approved the attempt to refurbish the Pickering A facility that we know has brought Ontario Power Generation to the brink of financial collapse."
CELA and the Pembina Institute are currently conducting a study to investigate the potential contributions of energy efficiency measures, non-utility co-generation, and low-impact renewable energy sources to Ontario's electricity supply over the next twenty years.
The study is employing a sophisticated computer model developed by researchers at Simon Fraser University to assess the maximum economically and technically feasible contributions that energy efficiency programs could make to Ontario's future electricity supply. The study will be released next month.
"The OPG Review committee assumed that energy efficiency, and low-impact renewable energy sources, such as wind, would make no significant contribution to Ontario's future electricity supply. We believe, on the basis of experience around the world, that those assumptions are wrong" said Dr. Mark Winfield, Director of the Pembina Institute's Environmental Governance Program. "Unlike the Committee, we are undertaking a rigorous assessment of their potential."
For further information:
Mark Winfield, Director, Environmental Governance
Pembina Institute for Sustainable Development
Tel: 416-978-5656
Theresa McClenaghan, Counsel
Canadian Environmental Law Association
Tel: 416-960-2284 ext. 218