The Ford government has taken the first step on a potentially long path to building a large new nuclear power generation station near Toronto by confirming early work is underway to find local consensus for construction on the shores of Lake Ontario.
Energy Minister Stephen Lecce was in Port Hope, Ont., on Wednesday to promote Ontario Power Generation’s Wesleyville site as land the province could rely upon to build a new nuclear station on.
“I’m excited to be continuing these conversations with Indigenous and municipal leaders to explore options for new nuclear generation at the Wesleyville site, including new good-paying jobs and other associated benefits,” Lecce said in a statement.
The site is one of three locations — along with Nanticoke in Haldimand County, Lambton in St. Clair — highlighted in November as options for new power generating stations.
The Wesleyville site is owned by OPG and is located near existing transmission lines, roads and railways. The government said it is perfect for a new power station, with local government and Indigenous leaders indicating they could be willing to entertain a new station on the land.
Very early assessments of the site suggest it could host a 10,000 MW nuclear generating station, which would be the highest capacity station in the province. It would physically be roughly the size of the province’s Darlington power station.
Locally, Port Hope council passed a motion allowing early conversations with OPG and the provincial government to take place. That triggered $1 million in funding to support the town’s work to study what would be needed to host a potential power station.
Williams Treaties First Nations will also receive funding to study the issue and advance discussions, the government said.
The announcement, however, does not mean the province has decided to build a new power-generating station in Port Hope. While the land is owned by OPG and zoned for power generation, officials have no price tag for the project, nor has the Ford government committed to building anything on the land.
If the government decides to move forward with a nuclear power station on the Wesleyville land, preliminary estimates suggest it could be operated sometime in the 2040s.
It would be expected to have a 95-year life.
Source: Global News
