This link: Jim_Flaherty_s_Atom_Splitting_Headache is the slide deck originally prepared for a lecture presented to U of T EngSci ESC 203, “Engineering, Society and Critical Thinking” October 26, 2010. EngSci students are specifically invited to send in comments or questions, as are any other interested readers. Many thanks again to Lisa Romkey, the instructor for ESC 203, for the …
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In late 2007, OPG forecast nuclear running costs for “˜08 and “˜09 at $43/MWh and $46/MWh respectively (OEB file EB-2007-0905 Ex. A1/T4/S3 Chart 2). For 2008 and 2009, the results were $44.31/MWh and $ 44.09/MWh respectively. OPG’s achievement in 2009 of running cost results slightly better than forecast occurred not withstanding a substantial shortfall in …
The attached commentary, published in the National Post newspaper February 26, 2010, recommends that the federal government minimize future liabilities associated with AECL by terminating the CANDU development program. AECL’s reply letter to the editor is here: AECL’s reply
Attached is a transcript of a brief interview with CH TV February 10, 2010 for the show “Live at 5:30” hosted by Mark Hebscher and Donna Skelly. In the interview, I praise OPG’s decision to not retube Pickering B. I also question why Samsung does not show up on the Ontario government’s official lobbyist registry. …
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In Canada, following the shocking numbers coming out this summer on the cost of building an Advanced Candu Reactor (ACR) in Ontario many key nuclear industry players are now advocating against the ACR that AECL has been touting. Recently, technicians at Chalk River have tried to distance themselves from ACR, as has the influential Power Workers …
Here are links to media reports and commentary in New Brunswick discussing developments with AECL’s role in the refurbishment of the Point Lepreau reactor based on information current to late September 2009. The story of the Lepreau reactor from 1995 onward is extremely significant from the perspective of regulatory effectiveness, nuclear economics, Candu 600 viability, …
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This interview was conducted July 17, 2009. The interview was conducted by 360 Energy, an energy service and energy management firm, as part of their series on energy issues. Part 1 discusses why the Ontario and federal governments deserve credit for introducing a new level of financial responsibility and realism not previous evident in nuclear policy …
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In the following note Tom Adams provides summary of data drawn from regulatory documents filed by Ontario Power Generation quantifying and explaining the operating cost disadvantages of CANDU reactors relative to US counterparts. The actual cost experience contradicts frequent official government claims of the low operating cost of nuclear power. PDF link:summary-of-candu-operating-cost-competitiveness3