Hydro-Québec is evaluating the Gentilly-2 power plant and the potential of nuclear power to meet energy needs, but nothing is decided yet, Pierre Fitzgibbon says.
Hydro-Québec is evaluating the current state of the Gentilly-2 power plant, which closed in 2012, in order to “feed into its reflections on Quebec’s future energy supply.” The news has created strong reactions from experts who believe that nuclear power is not the preferred solution in Quebec.
But Fitzgibbon insisted on clarifying the intentions of the Crown corporation.
The new CEO of Hydro-Québec, Michael Sabia, “is currently looking at the imbalance” between energy supply and demand in Quebec, “and he said to himself that we have to look at the energy sources available, which includes nuclear, but we are far from having decided. No decision has been made, neither by Hydro-Québec nor by the government,” Fitzgibbon said.
The decision concerning nuclear “may be in a year or two, or three years, or never,” and “socially, if ever we went to nuclear, there is communication work to be done.”
A new nuclear technology
Fitzgibbon continued: “Sabia asked, ‘Is it possible to see if there are things we can do for Gentilly-2 on the site?’ but we are not talking about putting CANDU reactors from the ’60s. At this time, experts will look to see if there are any possibilities.”
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CANDU reactors produce a large amount of nuclear waste and their operations involve hazards related to radioactivity.
Fitzgibbon made more than one reference to small modular reactors (SMRs).
“Since CANDU, 60 years have passed, so are there new technologies?” he said, adding “there are 77 SMRs in the world that are in development, but there are none in operation, so it is premature to conclude that we can go nuclear at reasonable costs and for environmental purposes where people will be comfortable.”
However, Fitzgibbon added, the government will closely monitor the development of these new nuclear power-generation technologies.
“It takes more renewable energy if we want increased industrial development in Quebec,” he said. “The question is going to be: At what price can we create new renewable energies, and is this price acceptable to companies?”
Source: The Montreal Gazette
