Estevan Chamber Backs Possible Nuclear Power Push

[Oscar]

Sunshine Capital of Canada . . . . drinkin' that nuke koolaid again . . . ! LOL

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Estevan Chamber Backs Possible Nuclear Power Push

[ https://discoverestevan.com/local/estev ... power-push ]

July 7, 2020 Written by Rob Mahon

If the next big power plant to come to the southeast is nuclear powered, the Estevan Chamber of Commerce is not against the idea.

Any discussion on nuclear power coming to Saskatchewan is still in its infancy, but the idea of a small modular reactor coming to the southeast has been floated around with some support. That support comes at least in part from the Estevan Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber has been doing their research on the possibility of nuclear power in the area, and so far they've been on board with the potential for some to come to the Southeast. The idea may be strange, even frightening to some, but it gets less so the further into it you dig.

"We are working on that as we speak, we've been working on it for months," said Chamber executive director Jackie Wall, "actually with economic development. I've attended a webinar."

Just the words "nuclear power" can summon up some unfortunate images in people. So Wall went out of her way to learn more. She said what she learned from experts helped ease any concerns she had.

"I had no idea that I would be getting educated in the nuclear energy side of things," said Wall. "But there are so many advances in nuclear energy, nuclear waste is not anything like what it was compared to be. The new nuclear models actually use the waste from the current reactors and they re-use it in their reactor."

The province's spending report and subsequent budget both made mention of nuclear power in the future of Saskatchewan, and city officials in Estevan, including Mayor Roy Ludwig, have said they'd be open to a reactor here. Any reactor that does show up in the southeast isn't going to do it overnight, however.

"Estevan has been suggested as a potential location to perhaps get into nuclear energy production," said Wall. "Now, those estimates are probably ten to twelve years out and there are federal government site planning and all sorts of things that have to be looked at. But we are in contact through economic development and webinars, etc., with some of the nuclear companies that are working in the area of advancing nuclear technology."

Wall said she views the investigation into nuclear production as a way to stay proactive about energy generation in the southeast. Saskatchewan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ontario and New Brunswick to further research small modular nuclear reactors to help them reduce carbon emissions and become carbon neutral.