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Author Archives: energyprbe
Heat wave fuels coal debate
It seemed more like July yesterday as the heat wave set a record for hydro use in May and appeared to melt the Liberal promise for closing the last of Ontario’s coal-fired power plants by 2009.
While Ontarians cranked up their air conditioners and smog cloaked much of the province, Energy Minister Dwight Duncan repeatedly refused to reaffirm the coal pledge aimed at making the air easier to breathe.
Critics doubt fixed prices for nuclear power
A team of companies lobbying to build new nuclear plants in Ontario say they’re willing to ensure any new reactors will be built on budget, though critics say it’s a misleading pledge that can’t be guaranteed.
Representatives of so-called "Team Candu," a group of five Canadian firms that includes federal Crown corporation Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., say government officials have asked for price guarantees for new nuclear projects in an effort to avoid cost overruns under an energy strategy slated to be unveiled within the next week.
Coal pollution staying longer still, Duncan says
The prospect of more long, hot summers is forcing Ontario’s Liberal government to once again break a promise to close highly polluting, coal-fired power plants, says Energy Minister Dwight Duncan.
The admission came yesterday after what Duncan dubbed a "disappointing" report from the province’s power monitoring agency, the Independent Electricity System Operator.
Let's talk sense about energy
One hundred years ago this month, Sir Adam Beck of London became chairperson of Ontario Hydro and set in motion his plan for at-cost public electricity to power this province’s businesses, industries and homes.
By 1910, his Niagara Falls hydroelectric power (HEP) vision had become reality.
How things have changed. Our power-generation capacity is stretched as never before and we still await government plans on new generation.
Power politics
Premier Dalton McGuinty says he’s prepared to be judged by voters as his government gets set to announce controversial new nuclear power projects.
"I look forward to being judged on that," McGuinty said yesterday.
Energy Minister Dwight Duncan will formally respond to the Ontario Power Authority’s energy supply report today, explaining how the province will meet its electricity needs over the next two decades.
Grits will push nuclear option
Toronto: An Ottawa-area site will be among locations considered for new nuclear reactors as the government embarks on a multi-billion-dollar strategy to tackle a potential electricity shortage, sources say.
Energy Minister Dwight Duncan will approve the Ontario Power Authority’s December recommendation that roughly half the province’s electricity should be powered by nuclear reactors 20 years from now – the same share nuclear holds today.
The Liberals won’t tell the OPA where they think plants should be built.
New nukes to light up province
The Ontario government is flicking the switch on a $46-billion electricity plan that will see refurbished and new nuclear reactors and continued coal-fired generation.
Seven Greenpeace anti-nuke activists wasted no time yesterday chaining themselves together in Energy Minister Dwight Duncan’s office. Just after 7 p.m. officials moved in to cut the locks of the protesters.
Duncan announced the overhaul of four existing units at Pickering B and the construction of one or two new reactors at an existing nuclear plant to be named later.
Court battle likely over energy plan
The province faces a long, tough slog – and court battles – over the nuclear power plan it announced yesterday.
Energy Minister Dwight Duncan appeared to skip nimbly over the issue of environmental assessments and other reviews of his decision to build or refurbish nuclear reactors able to generate up to 14,000 megawatts of electricity.
But even without opposition, the footing would be tricky.
And critics suggest they’ll do their best to trip him up.
Province juiced by energy plan
Toronto: The province is flicking the switch on a $46-billion electricity plan that will see refurbished and new nuclear reactors and continued coal-fired generation.
Seven Greenpeace anti-nuke activists wasted no time yesterday chaining themselves together in Ontario Energy Minister Dwight Duncan’s office. Officials moved in to cut the locks of the protesters last night.
New reactors key to Ontario power plan
A blueprint to avert Ontario’s looming electricity crisis sets "aggressive" targets for energy conservation and clean, renewable power over the next 20 years, but nuclear power will continue to play a major and expensive role.
The province’s plan calls for building one or two new reactors at an existing site, likely Darlington, at a cost of $2 billion to $3 billion, and examining the feasibility of refurbishing existing nuclear units.
Energy Probe 