{"id":10417,"date":"2014-11-17T01:00:04","date_gmt":"2014-11-17T06:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cna.ca\/?post_type=news&p=10417"},"modified":"2020-03-10T13:55:27","modified_gmt":"2020-03-10T17:55:27","slug":"allocution-prononcee-devant-lontario-energy-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cna.ca\/fr\/2014\/11\/17\/allocution-prononcee-devant-lontario-energy-network\/","title":{"rendered":"Allocution prononc\u00e9e devant l’Ontario Energy Network"},"content":{"rendered":"

Allocution prononc\u00e9e\u00a0par John Barrett, pr\u00e9sident et chef de la direction, Association nucl\u00e9aire canadienne<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>devant l’Ontario Energy Network<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>le 17 novembre 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

Recently Kevin Lynch, former Clerk of the Privy Council and currently Vice-Chairman of the BMO Financial Group, wrote a piece in the Globe & Mail calling for a national dialogue on \u201cdiversification of our energy markets and the national interest.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the United States moving toward energy self-sufficiency and security, Lynch was talking about the need for Canada to diversify its oil and gas exports to new markets overseas.\u00a0 To do so in practice, he says, requires enormous investments and complex planning in transportation capacity.\u00a0 Hence the appeal to national interest.\u00a0 As he noted: \u201cWithout creating a shared sense of our energy future, it will be difficult to align all the actors and interests.\u201d<\/p>\n

Do we have a \u201cshared sense of our energy future\u201d?\u00a0 Or would it break down into provincial pieces?\u00a0 Does it depend on where you sit geographically or what energy sector you represent?\u00a0 It\u2019s a good question.<\/p>\n

To speak of Canada\u2019s energy resources is to count our blessings. Oil, natural gas, hydro, nuclear, coal, wind, solar, biomass, wood.\u00a0 The term \u201cenergy mix\u201d cannot even begin to convey such a rich bounty of energy potential across the land.\u00a0 Our energy endowment is a huge asset for Canadians.<\/p>\n

However, if we are to contend that it is in the national interest to gain access to energy resources, convert them to economic use, and get them to market, then we have to do more than just state the case.\u00a0 If we are to have a \u201cshared sense of our energy future\u201d, then we have to show how our energy resources are strategic assets \u2013 in terms of Canada\u2019s economy as well as in the daily lives of Canadians.<\/p>\n

Each energy industry can speak separately to this imperative.\u00a0 I will focus on Canada\u2019s nuclear industry.<\/p>\n

My contention is that it is in Canada\u2019s national interest to have a nuclear industry and technology.\u00a0 Let me explain why.<\/p>\n

Nuclear technology delivers value to Canadian in many forms.\u00a0 Low-carbon, base-load electricity.\u00a0 Advanced engineering and materials science.\u00a0 Imaging technologies.\u00a0 Better medical diagnosis and treatment.\u00a0 Economic growth.\u00a0 High-skill, long-lasting jobs.\u00a0 Technological and operational innovation that keeps Canada at the forefront in the knowledge economy.<\/p>\n

The value brought by the industry to Canadians is, unfortunately, not well understood by the public.\u00a0 The response is usually \u201cI didn\u2019t know that\u201d when the value is itemized and translated into daily life.\u00a0 We don\u2019t do a good job in translating that value into dollars and cents or putting a price to those aspects of our quality of life that we owe to nuclear technologies broadly speaking.<\/p>\n

The nuclear industry takes natural uranium from Canada\u2019s mines and fabricates fuel for extremely low-carbon electricity generation. It is an industry that designs, constructs and operates safe nuclear reactors.\u00a0 It assures quality of advanced materials.\u00a0 It produces isotopes for cancer and heart diagnostics and treatment.\u00a0 Cobalt-60 for sterilization of medical products and devices.<\/p>\n

It brings food safety through irradiation.\u00a0 Its R&D innovations have led to entrepreneurial spin-offs, including commercial products for household use and everyday safety \u2013 like fluorescent signage.\u00a0 It includes precision manufacturing for building, maintaining and refurbishing research and power reactors.\u00a0 And the highly skilled trades and craft labour that build and run them safely. \u00a0It even includes non-destructive testing of oil and gas pipelines for possible defects and leakages.<\/p>\n

The nuclear industry is also part of the national interest because of its geographical breadth. Its science and technology assets are spread across the country.<\/p>\n

The TRIUMF particle physics laboratory in Vancouver; the Canadian Light Source and the Fedoruk Centre for Nuclear Innovation in Saskatoon; radiochemical labs in a plethora of hospitals across the country; research reactors at the Universities of Alberta and Saskatchewan, at Ontario\u2019s McMaster University and Royal Military College, at \u00c9cole Polytechnique at the Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al; the incredible complex of knowledge and talent at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories \u2013 formerly AECL-CRL \u2013 in Chalk River, Ontario; private laboratory and testing outfits like Stern Labs and Kinectrics; innovative spin-off companies like Isowater or BubbleTech; power generation in New Brunswick; university research in Newfoundland.<\/p>\n

How else does it bring value to Canadians?<\/p>\n

Nuclear power generation is clean \u2013 virtually emissions-free, standing in sharp contrast to fossil-fuel generating sources.This was recently confirmed by Hatch Engineering, a respected Canadian firm with international energy interests.\u00a0 Hatch undertook a life-cycle analysis of emissions from 3 power generation sources: nuclear, gas-fired, and wind (backed by natural gas combined cycle).<\/p>\n

The study concluded that the range of GHG and nitrogen oxide emissions for natural gas \u2013 as well as a mix of natural gas and wind power \u2013 is, in every case, significantly higher than those produced by nuclear power.<\/p>\n

As wind is an intermittent source of energy, it needs a back-up source, usually gas-fired generation.\u00a0 The ratio is usually taken as 20\/80 \u2013 20% wind power, backed by 80% natural gas combined cycle.\u00a0 According to the study, emissions from this mix can be more directly compared to those emitted by natural gas on its own. \u00a0These latter, as we know, are about half as high as coal\u2019s \u2013 and considerably higher than nuclear\u2019s.<\/p>\n

This is the reality of natural gas as a fossil fuel.\u00a0 Of course, Ontario should have a diverse mix of power generation sources.\u00a0 But let\u2019s also be aware of the life-cycle emissions that each source brings into the supply mix.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s another value we should recognize.<\/p>\n

As you know, the International Panel on Climate Change has recently issued a new report about the extent of the challenge facing us on global warming.\u00a0 Canada\u2019s record on reducing carbon emissions is, let us say, undistinguished.\u00a0 Some would judge it more harshly.\u00a0 Many point to the oil and gas industry as the main source of Canada\u2019s high GHG emissions, especially the oil sands.A national perspective would show that Canada\u2019s emissions record would be worse without nuclear power.\u00a0 This is due largely to Ontario\u2019s use of nuclear power, plus hydro, and other provinces\u2019 use of hydro.\u00a0 The end of coal-fired generation in Ontario has also helped to reduce Canada\u2019s overall carbon emissions.<\/p>\n

However, what is often unrecognized is the fact that the low-emissions jurisdictions like Ontario have given more carbon head-room to Canada\u2019s oil and gas industry.\u00a0 Our national climate change record is thus better than it would be \u2013 thanks to the nuclear industry and Ontario\u2019s nuclear generating stations.\u00a0 The more this is recognized, the more we have the possibility of a shared energy future.<\/p>\n

One more area of value: Canada\u2019s foreign policy.<\/p>\n

Canada is a leader in nuclear technology.\u00a0 This leadership has given us strategic advantage in global security issues.<\/p>\n

We have influence in international negotiations on nuclear non-proliferation, safety and security\u2014because we own an impressive nuclear technology, underpinned by key strategic assets, such as the National Research Universal reactor and AECL\u2013Canadian National Laboratories expertise and reputation. .<\/p>\n

Nuclear safety is in Canada\u2019s national interest, whether at home or abroad.\u00a0 Canada is at the forefront of efforts to push international safety standards higher, thereby reducing the risk of nuclear accidents.<\/p>\n

Other countries listen to Canada when we address issues like Iran and North Korea; when we speak about nuclear security, regulation or verification. Our efforts diplomatically to ensure Canada\u2019s security and safety are given credibility thanks to having a world-class nuclear industry and expertise.<\/p>\n

Moreover, there are considerable opportunities in new nuclear energy markets \u2013 as shown last week in the announcement by Candu Energy of its partnership with China in developing advanced fuel CANDU reactor technology.<\/p>\n

Such commercial deals are not just a matter of don\u2019t just imply a vendor-buyer relationship.\u00a0 They imply a commitment between two countries on a matter of strategic importance \u2013 in this case, the use of Canadian nuclear technology for China\u2019s energy needs.\u00a0 This makes it a relationship of strategic importance to Canada\u2019s foreign and economic policy.\u00a0 We should not overlook this.<\/p>\n

Let me turn now to the Nuclear Leadership Forum<\/p>\n

Over the past 2 years, more than 30 CEOs have developed a shared vision of how they see the nuclear industry, now and in future, along with greater alignment of purpose and action to help realize this vision.<\/p>\n

This exercise, called the \u201cNuclear Leadership Forum\u201d, identified 5 areas essential to the industry\u2019s continued strength.\u00a0 They are skills; project delivery; innovation; integrated waste management; and international market opportunities. Each one of these five areas has an action team to take its work forward.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with skills.Canada has a world-class nuclear technology, because of the skills of the people who have designed, built and operated this technology and because of the skills of thoseits who have regulated it.\u00a0 The result is an impressive safety records over decades.<\/p>\n

Recently the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission concluded that no fatalities related to radiation safety have EVER occurred in the Canadian nuclear industry.\u00a0 How many industrial activities of any kind \u2013 let alone of nuclear\u2019s scale and complexity \u2013 have this kind of record?<\/p>\n

Retaining such skills and knowledge, and carrying them into the future, is fundamental to preserving Canada\u2019s technological edge.\u00a0 The industry knows this.\u00a0 Which is why the Nuclear Leadership Forum is taking steps to ensure the next generation of skilled professionals and work force will be trained, ready, and available to take over.<\/p>\n

This is the nuclear industry\u2019s contribution to Canada\u2019s knowledge economy.\u00a0 It\u2019s something increasingly recognized by governments — federal and provincial. The precision work, the no-tolerance-for errors, the use of robotics, the mitigation of risk, the digitization of energy \u2013 these are skills vital to skills to the economic world in which we live.<\/p>\n

This takes me to the next area\u2014project delivery.\u00a0 Nuclear is a quality-driven industry.\u00a0 Keeping power-generating reactors doing what they\u2019re supposed to be doing \u2013 year in, year out \u2013 over a 60-70 year time span requires one life-extending refurbishment for each reactor during that time.\u00a0 This is project management at a very high and demanding level.<\/p>\n

Successful delivery of these projects guarantees that long life.\u00a0 It therefore guarantees that the capital cost of a plant is amortized over a very long period.\u00a0 Which is why nuclear has high capital costs, yet produces very affordable power.\u00a0 Understanding this requires lifting one\u2019s view beyond day-to-day spot markets.<\/p>\n

Recently there have been discussions between Ontario and Quebec on a broader, renewed relationship on a range of policy issues \u2013 including greater collaboration on energy.\u00a0 This approach is something we welcome.\u00a0 Both premiers should be commended for their leadership.<\/p>\n

Ontario\u2019s Long-Term Energy Plan balances a number of supply considerations.\u00a0 Our nuclear base-load, over the long term, supported by the refurbishments at Bruce and Darlington, will provide price stability, low-cost energy and good economic growth.\u00a0 This stable, affordable \u2013 and clean \u2013 supply is the backbone of our system and economy.\u00a0 Greater engagement with Quebec can be part of our broader energy portfolio, and does not conflict with the role of nuclear in the province.<\/p>\n

Refurbished nuclear is a winning formula for Ontario as one of the leading clean energy jurisdictions in North America.\u00a0 Thanks to the combination of nuclear and hydro, more than 75% of Ontario\u2019s electricity generation is virtually emissions-free.\u00a0 Substituting natural gas for nuclear would undercut this reputation and the efforts by Ontarians to achieve it.<\/p>\n

Nuclear power helped make Ontario a manufacturing powerhouse.\u00a0 That is why we\u2019re acting through the Leadership Forum to ensure that our project delivery matches the same quality standards that we insist upon throughout our industry.<\/p>\n

Turning to waste management, there are several things to keep in mind.<\/p>\n

Does the technology exist to manage safely and securely the types of radioactive waste products that come from nuclear reactors?\u00a0 The answer is a definite yes.\u00a0 The industry knows how to handle the waste without dangerous leakages and with ample detection and alert systems to back this up.<\/p>\n

What about the environmental footprint of the waste?First, waste products from nuclear power generation do not get emitted into the atmosphere \u2013 unlike some other energy sources.\u00a0 In fact the waste is very compact and stays on the generating site.\u00a0 In short, we keep the waste; prevent it from entering the atmosphere, soil or water; and take responsibility for it.<\/p>\n

Second, the size of footprint is very small.\u00a0 Storage of fuel waste is limited geographically to the seven sites in Canada at which waste is produced.\u00a0 Compared with other sources of energy \u2013 where thousands of hectares are used for extraction or generating purposes \u2013 the environmental footprint of waste from nuclear energy is miniscule.<\/p>\n

Third, the management of nuclear waste is highly regulated.\u00a0 In fact, the regulations imposed on nuclear waste could assist in the management of common toxic chemicals which never decay and exist in landfill sites found in many jurisdictions in Canada, often close to populated centres.<\/p>\n

But a guiding principle for the nuclear industry and the Nuclear Leadership Forum is that we can always do more.\u00a0 That is why we are seeking an integrated strategy that brings together everyone involved in managing nuclear waste \u2013 to see how we can push the bar higher in ensuring long-term safety<\/p>\n

Turning to innovation.Most energy industries involve a lot of natural resources with some science and engineering.\u00a0 The nuclear industry involves some natural resources \u2013 and a lot of science and engineering.<\/p>\n

But in nuclear science and engineering, it\u2019s time for some stock-taking.\u00a0 The Nuclear Leadership Forum sees that industry has to take the lead in setting the agenda.\u00a0 In fact, the federal government has asked us to come forward with ideas.<\/p>\n

As in other areas, the NLF is responding to the challenge.\u00a0 The action team on innovation is now bringing together a wide range of players in Canada specializing in four major technology segments:<\/p>\n