Bruce Power increasing power output, but critics push back
Ontario’s largest nuclear facility is going to be producing more power in the future. In 2016, Bruce Power’s eight reactors produced 6,300 MW of electricity — and by 2033, that number will reach 7,000 MW.
“It really is a significant amount of power, when the province needs it. It’s all done by just increasing efficiencies, increasing output, as we do our maintenance outages. We can install some new equipment,” said Bruce Power’s John Peevers.
An acknowledgement by provincial and federal governments that Canada won’t reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 without nuclear power earned Bruce Power its first invite to the COP27 climate conference in Egypt.
“I think you could say nuclear is having a moment. It’s long overdue. It’s the first time Bruce Power has been at COP27. We feel like we’re going to need all kinds of technologies, if we’re going to get to net zero,” explained Peevers.
But Jack Gibbons with Ontario’s Clean Air Alliance believes nuclear is far from the world’s energy answer.
“If we continue to spend money on high cost nuclear, well then our electricity rates will continue to rise, but if we invest in low cost wind and solar, we can reduce our climate changing pollution, and also lower our electricity bills,” he said.
Gibbons added that Bruce Power’s increased electrical output will also mean more of the industry’s “dirty little secret” — nuclear waste.
“The nuclear option is very unfair to future generations because it’s going to require them, for thousands of years, to safeguard highly radioactive and dangerous nuclear waste,” explained the former head of Toronto’s Hydro Commission.
Peevers said Ontario’s electrical grid is the envy of the world, and nuclear power is its backbone, producing 60 per cent of the province’s electricity.
“It’s something other jurisdictions are trying to emulate, and that’s one of the things we were at COP27 to talk about is how successful Ontario has been at cleaning the air, and getting off coal,” said Peevers.
Bruce Power is the midst of a 13 year, $13 billion to refurbish six of their eight nuclear reactors.
Once complete in 2033, Bruce Power said they’ll produce more than 7,000 MW of power, more than 30 per cent of the province’s energy needs, until 2064.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.