Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. PHOTO BY VERONICA HENRI /Postmedia file
Trudeau says country is prioritizing reducing dependency on oil and gas in the coming decades
The prime minister made the comments in response to a question about Canada’s LNG exports to Germany during a discussion with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and university students in Ottawa on Monday. Trudeau last year said he wasn’t persuaded to advance liquid natural gas exports to Germany, which has been searching for alternative energy sources as it moves away from Russian imports after the Kremlin ordered the invasion of Ukraine.
Trudeau said while Canada has increased its natural gas exports to the global market, the country is prioritizing reducing dependency on oil and gas in the coming decades.
“Even though in the short term there is a need for support of more fossil fuels into the global economy, what the world is looking at is not just getting off Russian oil and gas, it’s reducing our dependency on oil and gas overall and decarbonizing our energy mix as much as possible,” Trudeau said Monday.
The prime minister suggested increased attention to nuclear energy would be key in the shift, adding Canada has been investing in small modular reactors. Germany, on the other hand, shut down its remaining nuclear power plants earlier this month.
Chris Keefer, president of Canadians for Nuclear Energy, applauded the decision, saying it signals a growing enthusiasm in Ottawa towards nuclear energy.
“While we still need to be smart about how we use energy … we’re talking about doubling or tripling our grid,” he said. “Nuclear is a real optimal way to do that.”
Roughly 15 per cent of Canada’s electricity comes from nuclear power, according to the World Nuclear Association. A January Angus Reid Institute poll found 57 per cent of Canadians would like to see further development of nuclear power generation.
As Canada shifts away from fossil fuels and spends billions to attract green-tech investments, Trudeau said there will be an increase in the amount of nuclear energy production required in the country.
“As we look at what the baseload energy requirements are gonna be needed by Canada over the coming decades, especially as we continue to draw in global giants like Volkswagen who choose Canada partially because we have a clean energy mix to offer to power, we’re gonna need a lot more energy,” he said. “We’re gonna have to be doing much more nuclear.”
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland made an appearance at the Pickering Nuclear station east of Toronto last week and said nuclear could benefit in the energy transition away from carbon-based fuels.
The Pickering station was originally set to close as early as 2025, but Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government has extended its life for at least a year, while it looks at the feasibility of a longer extension.
Keefer said the government still has more to do to meet its large energy requirements, especially with investments like the Volkswagen battery plant deal on the way. He hopes to see investments in large reactors like the CANDU reactor, which has been successful in Ontario.
Still, Trudeau said Canada will have the capacity to generate energy for the world through wind, solar, geothermal and hydro energies in addition to nuclear energy, as other countries move toward net-zero emissions.
“Canada can and will be that solution,” Trudeau said.
Source: National Post
