The Nuclear Option

The Ontario Power Authority has published the Supply Mix Advice Report that recommends energy plans for Ontario in the next 20-years. The report is quite large -- over 1,000 pages. If you're interested, but aren't up for the torture, refer to the summary.

The report assumes that conservation activities will save energy over the next 20-years, but also predicts increased energy demands due to economic and population growth in the province. The net effective is about 0.9% increase in energy demands per year for the next 20-years.

A bunch of assumptions went into the planning. It is most likely wrong, but that hardly matters. It makes predictions, and whether we choose to accept them or not, the hard facts are that we need to do something now, as tomorrow is coming. Continuing to use fossil fuels is not an option. Importing electricity is not such a desirable option either, as the infrastructure will need to be laid, and, really, we should be self-sufficient. Renewable resources is definitely a good option, and should be pushed hard -- even if it costs a little more in the short term. Of course, you don't want energy costs to strangle the economy either, as the net effect would be a vicious circle that loops back to prevent further investment in renewable energy technologies. Then there is the nuclear option. Already, a slew of groups have gotten their underwears in a knot and launched salvos against this option. Some of their thinking is moronic and just wrong. Other concerns are quite valid, but not enough to dismiss the nuclear option.

Our current nuclear capacity is going to be in for an overhaul in the next 20-years as existing plants reach the end of their lifespan. That is great news, because nuclear technologies have progressed since those plants were first built. Canada has a good nuclear program, as evidenced by our winning international bids to build reactors in other countries. It's about time that we replace the existing reactors with newer, safer, cheaper and less complex plants. We can't continue to grow and maintain the lifestyle we're used to, solely by conservation and using renewable energy. (Not that renewable energy doesn't have its own problems -- it does -- nothing really comes for free.) The nuclear option is a viable option. Yes, there are drawbacks, and with the commitment to nuclear energy in Ontario, we should also be looking at ensuring some of those drawbacks -- such as storage of nuclear waste, find answers.