Scrap nuclear power, even if it means higher hydro bills?

The real question is how much higher and will the cost be stable? If you told people that in 4 years from now, your rates were going to be higher by 8-10 % but that rates will increase by the rate of inflation of about 2% after that, most would say OK since it is better for the environment. This would give them time to hopefully make lifestyle changes such as the Smart Meters should be doing now. (if you haven't changed your bad habits by now, only blame yourself)
However, we are given a bill of goods and the rules change in the middle of the game. Look at Car Insurance. The Ontario Liberals supposedly promised rates to go down, which they did for like 6 months and then the Insurance lobbyists convinced the government that they were no longer profitable. The rates went up by more than 10% for a couple of years. After a while, you just can't keep going along with certain politicians that break promises. I sense costs for alternative energy would likely skyrocket once implemented. Who can afford that?

The Real Question is that can we support such NIMBYsm. The FACT is nuclear is safe thus it is not even debatable to even compare what happened in japan to what can happen here. It is outlandish to say the least. If you want to live in the society that we have then you need electricty and that electricity comes from nuclear. if you want NO nuclear/coal/solar or wind then why do you need health care, education, military, police. If you caught a cold you are supposed to die. Thats natural selection. Need help? Tough! That help has to come from energy! That is the REAL facts of the matter. Nuclear does not and should not cost us anything in the essence of production of energy and deliverance of it to our homes. What we should pay and ONLY pay is a flat fee that covers the human and structural reasources to maintain energy flow. Be it the workers and their benefits or hard ware replacements such as power lines and better infrastructure. Past that there is nothing to discuss!

I never did go along with the decision to go nuclear. Go back to the drawing board from the 70's, and look further into Solar. Pair it up with GeoThermal to take care of heating and cooling. The real costs of these items could be less than they are and could be implemented in projects. Watch the costs for utilities drop along with the need for fossil fuels.

YES this is disgusting.
I did know this sense they start and they touch the nuclear power.
These people don’t know that what we use to tell our children “DON’T PLY WITH FIRE “why? Because it’s dangers, you can burn yourself!!!!Awbuisly?? Right???!!!
So who cares how much we have to pay for hydro even if we have to pay $10 /KW so what ,at least we are still on life and soon as or later [ I HOPP NOT],but maybe our word is going to be polluted with the radiation ,then what?? What we going to eat??The fish and all the vegetation going to be nook and perhaps us as well.
Anyway what I think is just get rid of all this nuclear staff, very dangerous and we all know what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The land was contaminated with nuclear radiation and will nothing grow for yearsssssssss. THINK ABOUT THAT.
We are in BC we get same radiation all ready. Thank you, of cores we love this very much

There are other technolgies out there--one in particular (JTEK) that makes solar energy collection about 7 times more efficient. Simultaneously MIT has come up with a novel closed energy storage system. There is no doubt that funding has been misdirected and vast sums squandered on dangerous energy sources. The problems are more political than technical and the political problems are immense. We'd be better off exercising some conversation while insisting on political change.

THERE HAVE BEEN WARNINGS ABOUT THE RESULTS OF TESTING ATOMIC BOMBS,THAT WOULD CAUSE EARTQUAKES,HEATING THE OCEAN WATERS,& THE ATMOSPHERE,WHICH IS CAUSING GLOBAL WARMING BY THE WAY.
THE QUESTION IS WHO IS THE BENEFICIARY?

I make my living on oil. My personal wealth depends on people using fossil fuels. I am employed by and develop new technologies for one of the largest oil companies in the world. All that aside, I am 100% for nuclear power. My company is already investing in nuclear. Wind??? What a waste.

Compared to the thousands of deaths that occur yearly as a result of Coal/Oil/Natural Gas one wonders why Nuclear is so strongly opposed when western government run reactors and newer designs are so safe. Could it be that Big Oil/Big Coal is afraid of Nuclear power & electric cars stealing their rigged system? With demand for oil down, but the price 5x what it was ten years ago it is easy to see the motivation. Have your wages gone up 5x in the past ten years? Not nearly as much profit in Nuclear unless we foster the fear.

As usual the I'm so special resource industry worker claims to be unteacheable and thats his excuse for supporting nuclear and fossil fuels.. typical..selfish, stupid , greedy thoughtless rig pigs are famous for their stunted, backward, mercenary criminality, addictions and sexual degenrate ways, red necked, bible in butt crap for brains shit where they stand lack of any intellectual capacity or morality what ever..get a real job..planet killer !!
Dump Nuclear reactors now !! Innovate !! Shut down corporate plutocrats now and start thinking about humans and environmental issues !! Economics is not a criterion for killing us slowly with your damn toxic industrial crimes against nature and humanity for profits..globalists have captured our govts, finances via subsidies and globalist agenda to off shore slave labor..they sell our resources for 10 cents on the dollars worth and we tax payers foot the bill..profit through political corruption and pandering to money pigs.. no more !! NAU will have all the resource workers on welfare anyways so best wake up, shut up and fight for your country..Harper and all conservatives are dirty, corrupt and unintelligent pillaging traitors..they are comitting constitutional crimes and senate. supreme court appointees are just as owned.. enough treason in lieu of govt.
While we are at it..you western party separtists are treading on constitutional prison terms with your yankee wanna be seditousness..time for independant inquirey into all govt actions provincial and Federal..revoke all separtist parties as per constitutioonal laws.. laws get that..not a freaking free store for every 4th generation yankee immigrant jack ass since 50 years ago tryingt break upour country.. wanna beyankee ?? Immigrate backthere..but hurry.. it's dying ..:0)
try reading platforms before voting.. if it is true to itself..Harper is a psychopathic maniac, maybe psychotic..walks like a shizoid anyways..he is a owned by globalists.. and charged with the job of destroying our nation.. NAU.. what he denied for years he signed with that Obama globalist puppet last week.. these treaties are illegal and treasonous..there are NO provisions to break up Canada for some miscreant traitors watching too much yankee tv..got that ?? HWat we have is a tag team, Conservative/Liberal globalist theater of bull sht..they are lal dirty and should be charged and prsoecuted for treason among other crimes yet unpunished..
CSIS..do you job and protect our security from internal and foreign interference..Harper/Bush..Iggy / Obama.. all usa presidents have globalists..multiculturalism is globalism.. globalism is anti nationalist,.. fascism and criminally unacceptable..or by god..there will be a civil war here you will not enjoy at all.
Check your facts idiots on oil rigs and shut the f up.!!

The audited environmental product statement of the Vattenfall Energy utility shows that their Nuclear Power Plants emit less than one hundreth the Greenhouse Gases of Coal or Gas fired power stations. Vattenfall finds that averaged over the entire lifecycle of their Nuclear Plant including Uranium mining, milling, enrichment, plant construction, operating, decommissioning and waste disposal, the total amount CO2 emitted per KW-Hr of electricity produced is 3.3 grams per KW-Hr of produced power. Vattenfall measures its CO2 output from Natural Gas to be 400 grams per KW-Hr and from coal to be 700 grams per KW-Hr. Thus nuclear power generated by Vattenfall, which may constitute World's best practice, emits less than one hundredth the CO2 of Fossil-Fuel based generation. In fact Vattenfall finds its Nuclear Plants to emit less CO2 than any of its other energy production mechanisms including Hydro, Wind, Solar and Biomass although all of these processes emit much less than fossil fuel generation of electricity. This is for the idiot above complaining about rig pigs and thinks he know everything. I presently invest heavily in fossil fuels such as oil. However that being said i recognize uranium is the way of the future. I will profit heavily from this endeavor. And contrary to any argument him or anyway else has opposing uranium it is the way of the future. Period. Go lobby against the government and take whatever means necessary you feel you have to. Let me know how that works out for you. Ill send out postcards to everyone that thinks uranium is evil from my villa in Panama. Take care and have a great day! :-)

@Jimbo... if youre ready to start paying $10./kwh for "your" kind of electricity you will certainly NOT die from any kind of radiation. You'll die from starvation or hypothermia (if ya live in Canada) 'cause you most certainly won't be able to afford your energy bill and still put food on the table or a roof over your head. Unless ya plan on using wood to fire up your house warming stove; which will create pollution in itself and whatcha gonna do when all the trees are gone ? What about your battery operated computer, TV, stove, fridge or do ya plan on attaching a wind-driven propeller to those ? Better fire up your Flintstone car while you're at it !

Maybe we should call or elect William Shatner as Prime Minister. I'm sure he knows where to find all those diletium crystals he used to power the Enterprise.

With all this talk of alternate forms of energy why is there no mention of Hydrogen. The only side effect of Hydrogen is clean water. Companies like Ballard are selling units to India and the US that will powertheir plants, cell towers and houses that are far away from grids. The small units will power 50 homes and the energy is clean and efficient. We of course cannot have these in Canada as the gov.it seems wants us to be in debt for years paying off hydro(by the way how much is that debt and when will it be paid off, I have asked that question and go no answer) and repairing Nuclear plants that one day will cause a disaster in this country. We are not immune to bad weather here or equipment malfunction, just last week Pickering had a release of 20 thousand gallons of radioactive water and that certainly didn't get much attention by the media. I guess they didn't want us to equate Japan and a breakdown of a valve here to cause concern about the fact that our Priemer wants to build more of these dangerous plants in our back yards. We have to wake up and be very concerned that what happened in Japan can and at some time will happen on this continent. By the way the coal fired plants could be converted to work with natural gas cheaper than building reactors but I don't see the gov. doing any of that either.

Those who want to move to "green power" never take into consideration the economic cost or the physical feasability. Do you know how much land it would take to produce the equivalent of a 1000 MW Nuclear Reactor? Put them on roofs? Economic costs go up, what is the impact of the economic costs?

We have top men working on it? Who? Top men.

The only way to answer these questions is to look at the overall picture, economics, safety, feasability, and since none of these are concrete numbers the probabilities and risks.

Are people so diluted that they think every decision is made by corupt individuals? (@Will) Obviously there are some smart, forward thinking people doing their best, with an ever changing equation.

Thank God the nutters can't organise their thoughts enough to actually post anything semi intelligent that would waste time needing a rebutle by the "top men".

There are pros and cons to every decision, unfortunately the extremists seldom look at both in an intelligent manner.

The sadest part is when the think tank's are not listened to because the easily manipulated masses have a louder voice.

If it turns out that I have repeated myself I apologize. The first attempt to post did not seem to work. It gave me a chance to say a bit more...

IMO hydro efforts would be well served by concentrating on reducing the stress on the Canadian grid created by the fact that roughly 3/4 of the grid is only servicing roughly 1/3 of the population.

My little group and I have been working hard to create both the technology and concept using hydrogen cell and solar to create a business much akin to water heater rentals. The concept complete with both commercial and residential applications geared towards producing hydro on location, not with the intent to create and sell to private hydro companies but with the intent to produce and use what is needed.

Canada's main corridor could be well serviced by existing structures once the overwhelming responsibility to the grid is lifted. Privatization alone did not/ is not working. It is now time for de-centralization.

Hydro should not be considered a cash cow of the future. I can understand the long term logic and potential of the sale of hydro as the population grows. Only a fool would miss it. However, again IMO, the long term projections and strategies that are being developed as we speak that only take into consideration centralized production and usage have under-estimated how quickly alternative solutions that have viable/affordable means of application that are poised to develop themselves across Canada's vast territory are going to take over and utilize more efficiently the hydro requirements of that 1/3, soon (relatively speaking) to be 3/4 of Canada's population.

There are many ways to skin a cow. Justin, I'll let you know how it works for me...

lol.....YOU TREE HUGGER TYPES MAKE ME LAUGH. NUCLEAR IS THE FUTURE GET USED TO IT,

I personally don't believe that nuclear energy is as cheap as the supporters of it claim. Do they include mining and refinement costs? The costs of then transporting radioactive cargo? How about ongoing costs for security measures to keep the materials out of hostile hands (before and after use)? The costs to also keep the nuclear plants secure? And, especially important, the cost of storage of spent fuel? And is there any way to SAFELY dispose of this stuff? Nuclear energy has been heavily subsidized here in Ontario. What doesn't show up on our hydro bill has ended up in our tax bill. And when an accident happens (so far it's been rare) it's been DEVASTATING to the surrounding area. I know Chernobyl is conveniently far away (out of sight, out of mind), but Three Mile Island nearly went the same way. A huge chunk of the American Heartland would have been rendered uninhabitable for millenia. Call me a left-wing kooky tree hugger, but I am also a veterinarian, and even a vet has had training in nuclear medicine and radiation sickness. I know what this stuff can do! And, by the way, if we spoiled North Americans just have to have our gobs of electric energy (Remember when it was enough to have just one TV in the house? Not anymore!), then why can't we switch to THORIUM as our main fuel source? Relatively much safer than uranium, MUCH more abundant (even in the USA), and it can't easily be made into nuclear bombs. If only science was allowed to lead the way, instead of stupid politicians and greedy profiteering business men.

What I don't understand is why is the government selling our excess hydro to the US CHEAP, when our own bills are getting rediculous and some people can't afford their own bills, and don't tell me people should conserve more! Most people try to use less hydro but the more they try the higher the rates go up every month. Why is the government selling our hydro and we are the ones making up the expence. I think it is time the government thinks about its own people for an change and forget about lining their own pockets at some elses expence. Apparently they don't pay for their own hydro bills or any other bills that we normally have or maybe they get a real discount on their bills. I can see hydro rates have to increase but come on this is just robbery of us the people.

At times Ontario has to sell its energy to the US because we have so much of it when demand is low yet the large centralized plants, mainly nuclear, are still running and can't be stopped or slowed down. Still today after 40 years of the CANDU reactors producing 85,000 ish waste bundles (I think) annually we don't have a solution for taking care of them for the next million years or the capital in the multi billions of dollars and many years of implementation. There are some promises with thorium, but its not 100%. Take all that into consideration with the fact that most reasonable projections put energy demand falling in the future. Look up Armory Lovins "Soft Paths" some good ideas there, and that was the 70's. What have we been doing all this time? Its my future, some of you old guys and gals need to get out of the way, your ideas are washed up.

Ps. Tree hugger is an outdated term, I'm an environmental student yet I have a hunting license and am certified to use a chain saw, I like concerned citizen for the wellbeing of my home and resources.

@ana - thats because our current liberal govt in Ont (am assuming thats where yr from cause thats whats exactly happening here - but my apologies if I am wrong) is cow-towing to this green bandwagon nonsense for votes while at the same time using Time of Use Smart Meter billing as another method of social control - once again - cow-towing to the green bandwagon nonsense that we should change our patterns of use while at the same time gouging us in costs. When TOU was first touted - off peak costs were quoted at 2.4c/kwh - but that is now up to around 5.3c/kwh - the same goddamn flat rate cost only four fucking years ago!

Here's why our hydro bills are starting to go through the roof - and why the general cost of living is up in all regards as well...and Im gonna be very direct and blunt here...because all the granola eating - tree hugging doom saying fools are trying to claim our planet is in extreme peril and that it will fall apart in the next 50 to 100 years - based on research with no direct repeatable replicated results using similarly controlled variables - because they can quote one study that supports their point - you can easily find another that contradicts it...so before people start throwing crap David Suzuki and Greenpeace say - SAVE IT!

Those people have done nothing to really change anything! Big Industry will still pollute if its profitable - people will litter - not compost - use plastic bags and bottles (which we were once told was GOOD for the planet if recycled) if its more convenient - and so on an so forth. About the only thing that has caught on is recycling - but now that fees are starting to be attached to that as well as garbage - people will soon say - why bother - its gonna cost me the same anyway!

But heres what the Green Bandwagon riders HAVE REALLY DONE!!! You've created a cash cow for govts and big business to gauge the hardworking - but in the name of saving our planet - so I guess its alright (HACT PUYY).

Our Hydro costs are now almost 50% higher at the least because of idiotic commitments made to wind and solar power (which are more costly) in the name of pleasing the Green Bandwagon.

We now have to pay ridiculous Eco-Fees on most electronic products - charged on the premise that we will not be conscientious and dispose of things properly. And as far as I know - theres no plans in this province to reimburse that. So - if yr charging me cause you think Im gonna dispose of it improperly - guess what - thats exactly what Im gonna do! Why inconvenience myself when you've already pre-charged me for the convenience of just dumping it in the trash!

Five cents per plastic bag at most places - oh well - they make great garbage bags! And usually I dont plan when I go shopping so Im not exactly gonna always tote around a reusable bag that has to be constantly washed to prevent bacteria spreading - which by the way will be costly because hydro is involved in that!

Gas Prices through the roof because of supposed shortage. We can keep using fossil fuel like we have been and still be good for the next several hundred if not thousand years! Supposed resource shortage drives up prices! So every time the green bandwagon riding jackasses start crying about something - you can bet a consortium or govt and/or biz will seek control to make a buck - when in reality there is no real shortage or peril!

We've seen in ONT what nearly seven years of leftist rule have done - as well as in Toronto! Huge bloated deficits - higher taxes - fees slapped onto anything and everything - and wheres most of the $ going - into go nowhere pet projects to please the fucking Green Bandwagon - meanwhile those running them are just lining their pockets anyway! Why actually do the green-work when the mere promise of it gets you free money just because the govt in power wants the vote of the Bandwagon!

Im going to make this very clear - Im a hard working Canadian who is sick of having govt and business in my pocket making it harder to have a comfortable living! And Im even sicker of these Green Bandwagon doomsayers giving them more justification to do so! Most of them are either unemployed or semi-employed artsy farsty types suckling the govt teat or trust fund babies still suckling your parents teat or inheritance!

Since the Green Bandwagon riders are likely suckling some sort of teat - they are blind to what their bitching has truly brought about - making it harder for us who want to stand on our own two feet and make a comfortable life for our families!