Pay Your Way or Don't Play
OTTAWA—Rather than threatening lawsuits the Government of New Brunswick should pay the full cost of rebuilding the Point Lepreau nuclear plant, including the cost of replacement power. New Brunswick Power failed to produce a business case for the New Brunswick Public Utilities Commission (NBPUC) and subsequently the New Brunswick government ignored the NBPUC and the advice of numerous environmental organizations and forged ahead with an ill advised refurbishment that private companies wouldn’t have even contemplated.
Forcing Atomic Energy Canada Limited (AECL) to subsidize the cost of this boondoggle is picking the pockets of Canadian taxpayers.
"This was absolutely predictable. In fact, it was predicted and now New Brunswick wants a handout," said John Bennett, Executive Director of Sierra Club Canada.
This is just the latest in a long string of billion dollar cost overruns involving AECL and CANDU reactors. The Ontario Power Generation nuclear station in Pickering came in 2 billion dollars over budget.
"Provincial governments, power utilities and AECL publicly announce low-ball cost estimates for CANDU refurbishments that they know will be exceeded by billions of dollars. Then they claim shock and surprise when the bills come in. This happens every single time," said Bennett.
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Contact:
Michael Bernard
Director of Media Relations
Sierra Club Canada
michaelb@sierraclub.ca
(o) 613.241.4611 x230
(c) 613.302.9933
Toll free: 1.888.810.4204
