Jamaica’s government has said it is considering nuclear power as a major alternative energy source because, once properly managed, it will reduce the island’s carbon footprint, provide clean energy, and stabilize its sometimes shaky fossil fuel-dominated power system.
Three weeks ago, the administration of Prime Minister Andrew Holness signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Limited to help accelerate feasibility studies and preparations for a possible nuclear energy sector. If the project gets the green light, it would easily position the country as the first in the 15-nation Caribbean Community (Caricom) bloc to dare use such high technology to generate power for general commercial purposes.
The announcement by the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) did not generate banner headlines in local media, but officials said they are pressing ahead with the project because it could help beat the island’s struggles for reliable energy generation and supplies.
Jamaica is already a signatory to the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy Capacity by 2050, which was launched at the UN’s COP28 climate change conference a year ago. Holness said the partnership with the two companies has much to do with the new approach to power generation from clean and sustainable sources.
The partnership reflects the Jamaican government’s commitment to diversify the country’s energy portfolio with new, clean, and sustainable alternatives, Holness said. “It shows that with proper regulation of technology and the embrace of technological advancement, nuclear power can be a game-changer. In fact, today’s nuclear technology, especially small modular reactors, is far safer and more adaptable than it was in the past. Of course, there are those who are going to say, ‘Why not wait until this technology is mature.’ The problem is that anything that has to do with nuclear requires a long period of time and … development of local capabilities. If you don’t do it now, then not only will you have to import the capital and the actual small modular nuclear reactor; you’re going to have to import the technological skills and expertise as well, which will increase the cost of deployment.” [attribution TK]
Reporting on the issue recently, the JIS stated that the idea of tapping nuclear power as a reliable source dates back to the early 1980s. Back then, the island operated an experimental reactor called a SLOWPOKE-2, based at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies.
It quoted Professor Charles Grant, director general of the International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS), as saying that Jamaicans do not have to be too concerned about the safety of nuclear power since those systems are well-developed. “There is nothing to be fearful of,” Grant said. “Nuclear energy is considered as a green form of energy [because] it does not release greenhouse gases while in use. In terms of cost, it is comparable to most conventional fuels: lower than oil and, I would say, coal.
“International collaboration is key and must be done first. The fact of the matter is, no nation will export nuclear technology to a country that is not fully regulated and part of the whole IAEA system. I am looking toward having nuclear power here.”
Grant added that “Jamaica is a regional leader for nuclear technology and having a nuclear reactor here for the past 40 years that we have run safely and securely is the foundation for this big step.”
Holness also sought to calm nerves about safety and security linked to nuclear reactors, telling the Observer newspaper, “We understand the concerns many Jamaicans may have regarding safety, and I want to assure the country that we are approaching this with caution, care, and the utmost regard for the well-being of our people and environment.”
Source: The Amsterdam News
