Saskatchewan's plan to build small nuclear reactors draws mixed reactions
CBC
Saskatchewan's push to build small nuclear reactors in the province is drawing mixed reactions from academics and environmental groups, with some touting the clean energy potential while others say it's a threat to human safety.
On Monday the province, along with representatives from Ontario, Alberta and New Brunswick, released the strategic plan for expanding nuclear power by building small modular reactors (SMR). The report said the nuclear reactors are safe, reliable and a source of "zero-emission energy."
"The risk of not adopting nuclear power as base load power – what is the alternative?" said Esam Hussein, dean of engineering at the University of Regina, after reading the report.
Hussein said that if governments want to move away from coal-fired energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they need to add nuclear power to their arsenal of clean energy sources alongside wind, solar and hydro.
On Tuesday, Ottawa announced plans to cut carbon emissions by 40 per cent by 2030.
"The choice we have now is live with climate change and wipe out humanity and all its creatures with ourselves, or take something that is known in a way. Nuclear power has been with us since the '50s," Hussein said.
The four provinces' strategic SMR plan includes a goal of building its first modular reactor in Ontario by 2028.
Four more would follow in Saskatchewan, with the first slated for 2034. A site has not been selected, according to SaskPower minister Don Morgan.
The strategic plan included a list of economic benefits over the lifetime of the five plants, including a $17-billion direct and indirect impact on GDP and thousands of spin-off jobs.
SMR development in Canada depends on money from Ottawa. The reactors have an estimated price tag of $5 billion each.
SMRs produce up to 300 megawatts of energy, enough to power about 300,000 homes annually, according to the governments' strategic plan. A conventional nuclear reactor generates 1,000 megawatts of energy. SMRs are also moveable, manufactured in factories and transported by truck, train or ship.
"It's just kind of fanciful, kind of dreaming in Technicolor," said Dave Geary, a researcher and writer with Clean Green Saskatchewan after reviewing the plan.
Geary said the governments' economic projections are likely unrealistic given the infancy of the SMR market.
"I'm shocked that these politicians don't have more business sense to be savvy to these kind of promises and dreams, you know?"
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