Nuclear Phaseout

From our friends at Lake Ontario Waterkeeper -- a persuasive argument against the Darlington nuclear power plant's use/abuse of the fisheries and water resources of Lake Ontario. 

By Krystyn Tully, Waterkeeper.ca Weekly

A nuclear power plant in Ontario should be allowed to kill millions of fish each year, say staff of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). Their surprising recommendation is part of the final environmental assessment report for Ontario Power Generation’s plan to refurbish four nuclear reactors at its Darlington Nuclear Generating Station on the north shore of Lake Ontario.... Read more »

The Japanese government has unveiled a plan to phase out nuclear power by 2030, in a major policy shift after last year's Fukushima disaster.

Under proposals put forward by a government panel, the reactors would be shut down completely by the year 2040.

Before the Fukushima disaster, nuclear power supplied about a third of Japan's energy needs.

Japan aims to increase the use of renewable energy and import more oil, coal and gas for its power needs.

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Nearly 30 years after it went into operation, it appears the days are numbered for Quebec’s only operating nuclear power plant.

A spokesman for the Parti Québécois said the newly elected government will go ahead with a plan to close Gentilly-2 in Bécancour. The party has wanted to do it since December 2009, Éric Gamache said.

“There is no indication that we will not respect that position,” Gamache told The Gazette Tuesday.

He did not say how the PQ would do it, but noted it does not require a vote in the National Assembly, where the PQ is in a minority position.

Gamache made the statement just hours before the Montreal première of a new documentary about Gentilly-2, which raises questions about the safety of people living near the nuclear power plant.... Read more »

The Parti Québécois will go ahead with its plan to shut the Gentilly 2 nuclear power plant in Bécancour, a party spokesperson said Tuesday.
It is something the party has wanted since December 2009, Éric Gamache said Tuesday.

“There is no indication that we will not respect that position,” Gamache told The Gazette.

He did not say how the party would do it, but noted that it does not require a vote in the National Assembly, where the PQ is in a minority position.

Gamache made the comments ahead of the premiere Tuesday night of a new documentary about the nuclear power plant called Gentilly or Not To Be. The film, by Montreal filmmakers Guylaine Maroist and Éric Ruel, cites a German studying showing there are higher-than-normal cancer rates among children living in proximity to nuclear power plants.... Read more »

SARNIA, ON - Two environmental groups have withdrawn their application for a Federal Court review of permits allowing Bruce Power to ship radioactive waste on the Great Lakes.

The Sierra Club Canada and the Canadian Environmental Law Association pulled the application due to federal changes to the environmental approvals process in the budget and because the permits issued by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission had expired, said the Sierra Club's executive director John Bennett.

"There would be no proper remedy," said Bennett.

"So the courts wouldn't look positive on us pursuing this any further."

Bruce Power wanted to ship the first 16 of 32 old massive generators removed during refurbishing of the nuclear power plant near Kincardine to a recycling company in Sweden via the Great Lakes. The generators contain only "low level" radiation, Bruce Power said.
... Read more »