Homeowners Of Vaughan Survey
SENT BY EMAIL:
caroline.ducros@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca
Caroline
Ducros
Environmental
Assessment Specialist
Canadian
Nuclear Safety Commission
P.
O. Box 1046, StationB
Ottawa,
ON K1P
5S9
Dear
Ms Ducros:
There
are those that don’t believe we soon will have the capability to cleanly
produce electricity from coal. The OPG web site http://www.opg.com/pdf/Nanticoke_may2307.pdf states: “Today, our fossil plants produce about 65 per cent fewer acid gas
emissions than they did in the early 1980s while still producing the same
amount of electricity. “
So
we’ve already made great strides, and it is our belief that this is where
we should continue to focus our attention. In America, President Obama likened producing
clean energy from coal to the challenge of putting a man on the moon saying
quote, “We figured out how to put a man on the moon, you can’t tell me
we can’t figure out how to burn coal”.
Everyone
is in agreement that further improvement is necessary and, with both the
U.S. and Canada working towards upgrades and enhancements, coal produced
energy will become environmentally friendly and no longer be the bane
it is presently thought to be.
So
the question then becomes, “Why?”. Why not just go to nuclear energy, as being proposed
in Port Dover, to meet our energy needs?
The
following needs to be considered:
TIMING
It is thought
we will have mastered the technology to produce clean energy from coal
within 10 years. At that point, there will still be 2-5 years
minimum required to complete construction of the nuclear plant
being proposed.
COST.
The cost to
upgrade and enhance fossil fuel plants so that they produce a cleaner
energy is slated to be approx. 20 million.
The alternative being considered, construction of a nuclear power
plant, will cost over 26 BILLION.
And
these figures do not take into account the cost for mining and transportation
of the two resources – coal vs uranium. Plus, as everyone knows, there has yet to be
developed a method for safe storage/disposal of the radioactive waste
resulting from nuclear energy production, so there will also be that cost,
along with the cost of storage until such technology is found.
ENERGY PRODUCTION
By focusing on our commitment to producing clean energy
from coal, OPG could continue producing electricity at Nanticoke at a
rate of 49,000 megawatts.
Once the Bruce Nuclear Power Plant is completed
and both reactors activated, they will be producing 23,000 megawatts of
energy - less than half. Where is the balance to come from?
And completion of the plant is anticipated
to be some 12-15 years from now. The
Nanticoke plant is slated for closure in 2011.
What energy source is being proposed in the meantime?
And, if the Nanticoke closure were extended until such time as
Bruce Power is operational, there is still the energy shortfall to be
dealt with – 26,000 megawatts.
CLEAN ENERGY.
The perception of nuclear being “clean” energy does not
take into account what will be done with the spent rods, which are far
more harmful, have no known method of disposal and will cost huge sums
to store until some method is found, funds that will become the burden
of the Ontario Taxpayer.
| |
Coal
Energy |
Nuclear
Energy |
| Cost |
$20,000,000
to upgrade |
$26,000,000,000 (+++) to
construct |
| Timing |
Under
10 years |
12-15
years (+) |
| Energy produced |
49,000
MW |
23,000
MW |
| Environmental
Impact |
Reduced to
our maximum capability |
- Spent
Radioactive Rods (??????)
- One
less green space as the land is presently used for farming
and forests that provide habitat for deer and other wildlife
|
| Costs not taken
into account: |
Mining and
transportation of coal |
Mining and
transportation of uranium
Safe storage
of radioactive waste
Disposal of
radioactive waste |
So
clearly, when doing a cost-benefit analysis of the two energy sources,
cleaning up coal far outstretches construction of a nuclear plant for
energy production and environmental disruption. And this does not take into account the potential
health risks of a nuclear plant.
We ask that you please consider all the above when you
are debating whether or not to encourage/allow Bruce Power to proceed
with its’ plan to build in Port Dover (even though all documentation
says Nanticoke).
Sincerely,
John Morey,
Chairman, HOVS Association
c.c. MP Diane Finley
MPP Toby Barrett
Norfolk County Mayor and Council
Haldimand County Mayor and
Council
Andrew McAllister
Bob Speller
Michael Ignatieff
Simcoe Reformer
Port Dover Maple Leaf
