Half-Truths and Outright Lies about the Cost of Nuclear in Ontario

This Letter to the Editor is in response to an article that appeared in the news today.

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Mr. Jack Gibbons of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance is using an Ontario Energy Board (OEB) report on Global Adjustments to twist the facts about the role nuclear power plays in providing clean, affordable, and reliable electricity in Ontario.

Mr. Gibbons takes one section of the report on Market Operations for 2010, and concludes that nuclear power is responsible for most of the price increases since 2006.

This isn’t correct. To better understand the costs of Ontario’s energy mix, plain and accessible information can be found in the provincial Auditor General’s December 2011 report.

Nuclear power provides more than half of Ontario’s energy. It does this reliably and at a low cost every day of the year, even when the wind doesn’t blow. Reasonably, it would be a large part of an energy bill, but Mr. Gibbons is ignoring basic math and calling it news.

Premier McGuinty understands the math and that’s why he’s committed to nuclear energy for the province in the Long-Term Energy Plan.

Nuclear has contributed reliable base load power and stable jobs for decades and will continue to do so for decades more. Our industry is committed to ensuring safety throughout all aspects of our operations and being responsible environmental stewards in all our communities.

Denise Carpenter
President & CEO
Canadian Nuclear Association