City stands pat on nuclear power

The Observer
December 17, 2008
Dan McCaffery

City stands pat on nuclear power

Nuclear power companies shouldn't be allowed to pass their capital over-runs onto beleaguered taxpayers.

That's the opinion of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance.

But it's also a position that Sarnia council has failed to endorse.

Alliance chairperson Jack Gibbons wrote Mayor Mike Bradley a letter last month asking him to support passage of a proposed "Nuclear Cost Responsibility Act."

Such a law, he said, would make it illegal for nuclear power companies like Atomic Energy Canada or Bruce Power to pass over-runs on to electricity consumers or taxpayers.

He added, "This principle has already been established for renewable and natural gas-fired projects in Ontario. Specifically, as of May 2008, the Ontario Power Authority has signed 363 contracts with private sector developers, co-ops, First Nations communities and individuals for electricity supplies from renewable and natural gas-fired electricity generation projects. In order to protect Ontario's electricity consumers, none of these projects are allowed to pass any capital cost overruns on to Ontario's electricity consumers or taxpayers. We believe that nuclear power projects should be subject to the same rules."

Bradley placed the letter on council's agenda Monday, which gave councillors the opportunity to endorse the idea. Instead, it received and filed the letter, which means no action will be taken.

The mayor said, "I like the idea of a cap, but I don't know how enforceable it would be."

He added nuclear plants cost a fortune.