Bruce Power Peace River Nuclear Project

Synopsis

Bruce Power Alberta wants to build a nuclear generation facility in the Peace River area of Alberta. The Whitemud site is about 30 km north of Peace River. The project could consist of four reactors producing up to 4400 MW, with the first reactor coming online in 2017 and operating for 60 years. It has unleashed a strong backlash from Peace River residents and other Albertans.

Category Energy

Type Nuclear

Prov AB

Region Peace River

Posted 31Oct09

Updated 17Jan12

Status Cancelled

Resolution

Bruce Power dropping Alberta nuclear plant proposal
CBC News, 12 Dec 2011

On 12 Dec 2011, Bruce Power announced it was no longer going to pursue the Peace River project. "We've decided the new nuclear option in Alberta is not something our company will be progressing further," said CEO and President, Duncan Hawthorne.

Contacts

LOCAL
COMMUNITY

Peace River Environmental Society, www.peaceriverenvironmentalsociety.org, Denis Sauvageau, denis(at)peaceriverenvironmentalsociety.org, 780-837-8290, 780-837-0015, Brenda Brochu, brbrochu(at)telus.net, 780-624-1533, 780-618-1670

PROVINCIAL
REGIONAL

Alberta Environmental Network, www.aenweb.ca, email form, 780-439-1916

Coalition for a Nuclear Free Alberta, www.keepalbertanuclearfree.com, Mandy Melnyk, m.melnyk(at)keepalbertanuclearfree.com, 780-357-0131, Chris Hooymans, c.hooymans(at)keepalbertanuclearfree.com, 403-975-5343

GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES

Alberta Energy, www.energy.gov.ab.ca, Nuclear Power section, email form, Edmonton 780-427-8050, Calgary 403-297-8955

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, www.cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca, Media 613-996-6860, 613-995-2903

ABORIGINAL
GROUPS

The project is sited on Duncan's First Nation territory, west of Lubicon territory, and upstream from the Little Red River Cree Nation.

Duncan's First Nation, Don Testawich, Chief, 780-597-3777, PO Box 148, Brownvale, AB, T0H 0L0, (member Western Cree Tribal Council)

Lubicon Lake Nation, Bernard Ominayak, Chief, 780-629-3945, PO Box 6731, Peace River, AB T8S 1S5

Little Red River Cree Nation, www.lrrcn.ab.ca, Gus Loonskin, Chief, 780-759-2451‎, PO Box 1165, High Level, AB T0H 1Z0‎

Western Cree Tribal Council, 780-532-3009, 9802 97 Ave, Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 7K2

PROPONENT

Bruce Power Alberta, www.brucepowerab.ca, info(at)brucepowerab.ca, 866-748-4787, 519-361-2673, Media 519-361-6559, Albert Cooper, Peace Region Manager, albert.cooper(at)brucepowerab.ca, 877-624-9233, 780-624-9218

More information

Location

Bruce Power, which operates the Bruce Nuclear Facility on Lake Huron in Ontario, and Bruce Power Alberta are partnerships between TransCanada Corp., Cameco Corp., and BPC Generation Infrastructure Trust, which was established by the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System in order to acquire the Bruce facility from British Energy in 2003. TransCanada is a pipeline and electricity generation company. Cameco mines and processes uranium.

The company is focussing on the Whitemud site, about 40 km north of Peace River, rather than the Lac Cardinal location originally selected by Energy Alberta Inc. In January 2009, Bruce withdrew its application to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for approval to prepare the Lac Cardinal a site, and stated that it intended to apply again for the Whitemud site later in the year. (Link)

Wastes will be stored onsite, at least until a national nuclear waste facility is built - after 2030 at the earliest.

Bruce Power hopes to file environmental assessment applications in 2010 with construction continuing until 2018.

Project Summary Document, March 2009

On 12 Dec 2011, Bruce Power announced it was no longer going to pursue the Peace River project. "We've decided the new nuclear option in Alberta is not something our company will be progressing further," said CEO and President, Duncan Hawthorne.