Ontario could be getting a nuclear power plant that rivals even Springfield’s.
What happened: Ontario has paved the way to build what could be the world’s largest nuclear power plant, with the Crown corporation in charge of the province’s electricity market signing a cost-sharing pact with nuclear energy firm Bruce Power valued at ~$300 million.
Zoom in: Dubbed Bruce C (not to be confused with horror icon Bruce Campbell), the plant will be Ontario’s first new large-scale nuclear project in 30 years. With a proposed nuclear capacity of up to 4,800 megawatts, the station could power as many as 4.8 million homes.
The deal will cover the costs of the plant’s planning phase — including First Nations consultations, workforce planning, and pre-construction and site preparation. The project itself still needs federal approval to go ahead.
Why it matters: While Bruce C isn’t on Ottawa’s Major Projects roster, it could be the first of other large-scale nuclear buildouts that do make Ottawa’s special list. Last month, Energy Minister Tim Hodgson listed expanding nuclear energy as a top priority for the new office.
Currently, Ontario has 16 of the country’s 17 operational nuclear reactors, but New Brunswick, Alberta, and Saskatchewan have all shown interest in the technology.
Bottom line: As energy demand expands across the country — both from consumers and all those data centres — nuclear energy will increasingly be touted as a viable solution, though critics still argue that it's costly and impractical.—QH
