Although the question is presumptive of outcome, I don’t know enough about the project to be nudged towards the negative conclusion it is suggesting. I have read the reports, and have been considering several arguments.
OPG argues that the property sits near existing infrastructure, and next to Lake Ontario, which it uses to cool the steam (after it passes through turbines) condensing it back into water. While that may seem like a feasible option, nuclear power is not a quickly deployed system and Ontario’s energy demands are growing quickly. Our energy security comes into question when we consider that the enriched uranium fuel that would be required, is imported from the U.S. There are plans in action to phase-out our gas-fired power plants and the addition of a Nuclear power plant will slow down the efforts already made. 70% of the the fuel used in those plants is imported from the U.S.
According to Time-to-Triple-Renewables-Report: In 2025, solar power usage rose by 30% and wind power usage by 8%, while Nuclear power usage dropped from 17.5% in 1996 to 9% in 2024.
Renewable power sources like solar and wind are gaining in ease of usability, while energy storage solutions are solving the problem of consistent availability. France and the UK, are already implementing free EV charging in exchange for the power grid to be able to draw back energy to cover shortages during peak-use hours.
Falling costs for solar, wind and battery storage mean that residents would be able to rely on cost-steady electricity bills that would be 1/3 the cost of nuclear-produced energy.
At this time, Canada has no approved long-term storage solutions for spent nuclear fuel. When I consider the implication of storing even more radioactive waste in our country, I want to turn my focus onto using renewable energy sources. However, there is much more to consider. The environmental impact of wind power on birds and bats has proven negative. Environmentalists are now working towards systems that can be shut down during key migratory weeks and at certain times of the evening, when these species are likely to be moving.
I have yet to gather enough reliable information to speak to the effect that either of these options would have on Ontario. The prospect of good employment, energy security, steady costs, and environmental impact are worth considering, so I will continue my research and keep an eye on the project as it moves forward.
Leslie Mahoney
