WARNOCK: Saskatchewan: No Need for Nukes
Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:22 amSaskatchewan: No Need for Nukes
http://www.actupinsask.org/content/view/679/1/
by John W. Warnock
April 5, 2009
On Thursday evening, several hundred people gathered at the Mackenzie Gallery to hear Tim Weis from the Pembina Institute explain why Saskatchewan does not need nuclear power and has the capacity to phase out coal-fired power plants as well.
Weis is co-author with Jeff Bell of the report, Greening the Grid, which makes the case for an alternate energy strategy based on conservation and renewable energy.
The Pembina Institute study is for Alberta, but Weis stressed that the analysis fits well with the situation in Saskatchewan.
Both provinces are heavily dependent on coal to provide electric power and are the two worst provinces when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions.
Weis also drew attention to Ontario, where a coalition of grass roots groups successfully made the case to the public and the government for phasing out coal-fired generation plants.
Alternative energy road
The Pembina study accepts the projections of the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) that by 2027 the province would need twice the power that is presently consumed.
It then shows how this additional supply could be created through the use of alternative energy systems: efficiency, wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal, co-generation, and micro power projects.
For those who have been active in the environmental movement, the message was nothing new.
Similar studies were done in Saskatchewan in the 1970s and 1980s. As Weis noted, the technology has always been there for the alternative road but the political will was missing.
The presentation focused on the capabilities of the alternative energy systems.
It would be useful to hear from his co-author, Jeff Bell, who has specialized in distributed generation and had a key position with the World Alliance for Decentralized Energy.
The green road, in the era of climate change, must be towards decentralized systems with local controls and emphasis on energy security.
This is most important for Saskatchewan, for winter ice storms here, similar to those we have seen in the east, would result in the loss of a great many lives, and extensive and costly damage to households and businesses.
This is one of the major problems with nuclear power which requires a highly centralized system and major backup facilities to cover shut down times.
Finding the political will
The success of the popular coalition in Ontario started with a consultant's report that looked at the full costs of all energy systems.
Including health, environmental and social costs demonstrated the very high cost of coal fired plants.
Including these costs, plus full insurance costs, decommissioning and waste disposal makes nuclear power plants by far the most expensive.
The historic position of Sask Power and Sask governments has been that coal is the cheapest available energy.
Opposition to nuclear power and uranium mining has always been difficult in Saskatchewan.
The traditional right wing parties and governments - the Liberals, Conservatives and now the Sask Party - have always been for development.
But, from the time of the government of T. C. Douglas, the CCF-NDP governments have also strongly supported the industry.
Most recently, Lorne Calvert�s NDP government supported the building of a nuclear reactor at La Loche, building transmission lines along the newly-built road to Fort McMurray to supply the tar sands industry, and then sending around 200 MW down the grid to Sask Power.
This is the issue which could revive political activism in this province.
The enormous costs of a nuclear power plant and a new grid system will greatly increase the cost of energy to all households and businesses.
As Weis stressed, Saskatchewan is the best site in Canada for wind and solar power.
We have a major biomass potential.
A serious program of conservation could greatly reduce the demand side for power.
The business as usual approach makes no economic or ecological sense.
http://www.actupinsask.org/content/view/679/1/
by John W. Warnock
April 5, 2009
On Thursday evening, several hundred people gathered at the Mackenzie Gallery to hear Tim Weis from the Pembina Institute explain why Saskatchewan does not need nuclear power and has the capacity to phase out coal-fired power plants as well.
Weis is co-author with Jeff Bell of the report, Greening the Grid, which makes the case for an alternate energy strategy based on conservation and renewable energy.
The Pembina Institute study is for Alberta, but Weis stressed that the analysis fits well with the situation in Saskatchewan.
Both provinces are heavily dependent on coal to provide electric power and are the two worst provinces when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions.
Weis also drew attention to Ontario, where a coalition of grass roots groups successfully made the case to the public and the government for phasing out coal-fired generation plants.
Alternative energy road
The Pembina study accepts the projections of the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) that by 2027 the province would need twice the power that is presently consumed.
It then shows how this additional supply could be created through the use of alternative energy systems: efficiency, wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal, co-generation, and micro power projects.
For those who have been active in the environmental movement, the message was nothing new.
Similar studies were done in Saskatchewan in the 1970s and 1980s. As Weis noted, the technology has always been there for the alternative road but the political will was missing.
The presentation focused on the capabilities of the alternative energy systems.
It would be useful to hear from his co-author, Jeff Bell, who has specialized in distributed generation and had a key position with the World Alliance for Decentralized Energy.
The green road, in the era of climate change, must be towards decentralized systems with local controls and emphasis on energy security.
This is most important for Saskatchewan, for winter ice storms here, similar to those we have seen in the east, would result in the loss of a great many lives, and extensive and costly damage to households and businesses.
This is one of the major problems with nuclear power which requires a highly centralized system and major backup facilities to cover shut down times.
Finding the political will
The success of the popular coalition in Ontario started with a consultant's report that looked at the full costs of all energy systems.
Including health, environmental and social costs demonstrated the very high cost of coal fired plants.
Including these costs, plus full insurance costs, decommissioning and waste disposal makes nuclear power plants by far the most expensive.
The historic position of Sask Power and Sask governments has been that coal is the cheapest available energy.
Opposition to nuclear power and uranium mining has always been difficult in Saskatchewan.
The traditional right wing parties and governments - the Liberals, Conservatives and now the Sask Party - have always been for development.
But, from the time of the government of T. C. Douglas, the CCF-NDP governments have also strongly supported the industry.
Most recently, Lorne Calvert�s NDP government supported the building of a nuclear reactor at La Loche, building transmission lines along the newly-built road to Fort McMurray to supply the tar sands industry, and then sending around 200 MW down the grid to Sask Power.
This is the issue which could revive political activism in this province.
The enormous costs of a nuclear power plant and a new grid system will greatly increase the cost of energy to all households and businesses.
As Weis stressed, Saskatchewan is the best site in Canada for wind and solar power.
We have a major biomass potential.
A serious program of conservation could greatly reduce the demand side for power.
The business as usual approach makes no economic or ecological sense.