Buffalo Party candidate prepared to take SaskPower to court

[Oscar]

Buffalo Party candidate prepared to take SaskPower to court for neglecting disclosure on nuclear reactor costs

[ https://www.westernstandard.news/news/b ... osts/57241 ]

Lee Harding - August 25, 2024 - Western Standard News

QUOTE: "The Yorkton candidate for the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan says he may take SaskPower to court for failing to disclose requested documents on potential costs of a nuclear reactor, despite a ruling by the province’s information commissioner.

Tim Kasprick formally asked SaskPower on September 12, 2023 for “Plans to build nuclear reactors in Estevan, including cost, name of company, supplying/building the reactors and timeline." The timeframe was for records from January 1 to September 11, 2023.

SaskPower wrote Kasprick November 8, 2023 to say the 1,008 pages of records would be withheld in full, citing various provisions of the act. On November 9, 2023 Kasprick asked Commissioner Ronald J. Kruzeniski, K.C. to review the act.

On July 22, 2024, Kruzeniski ruled SaskPower had not met the “burden of proof” required by the provisions of the relevant legislation it used to refuse disclosure of the documents, which numbered 1,008 pages. He said the decision reflected the pattern of a “shotgun” approach by the Crown corporation, on the commissioner addressed in previous reports, where fully redacted records that could have been disclosed at least in part. . . . .

Kasprick also shared some “fun facts” he discovered at a SaskPower open house in June on the Crown’s plans for small nuclear reactors (SMRs). SaskPower is looking at two sites near Estevan to have the facility. A site will be chosen in 2025 and a final investment decision made in 2029. [ https://www.saskpower.com/about-us/medi ... ar-estevan ]

“SMRs cannot burn Saskatchewan uranium, unlike Candu reactors that can be powered by Saskatchewan uranium. SMRs require enriched uranium so Saskatchewan would have to import uranium from other countries and France was mentioned as a possible supplier,” Kasprick said.

Kasprick said the Estevan SMR would probably end up storing nuclear waste onsite.

“There is no permanent nuclear waste site in Canada and there is currently 60 years of nuclear waste being stored on site at active reactors in Canada,” Kasprick said.

Even if Ottawa, which has jurisdiction, did set up a facility, waste from a new facility near Estevan would be last in the cue for transfer.

“And of course when I asked them how much an SMR will cost the answer was, ‘We can't tell you that,’” Kasprick added."

More . . . .


[ https://www.sasktoday.ca/southeast/este ... dy-9436048 ]

[ https://www.sasktoday.ca/elections/sask ... il-9628690 ]

[Oscar]

SaskPower Establishes Nuclear Subsidiary called SaskNuclear

[ https://www.saskpower.com/about-us/medi ... asknuclear ]

September 04, 2024

SaskPower has created a nuclear subsidiary called SaskNuclear to advance the province’s Small Modular Reactor project through the regulatory and licensing process as the utility works towards reaching net-zero by 2050 or sooner.

SaskNuclear will allow SaskPower to advance its small modular reactor (SMR) development project from a business and regulatory standpoint.

[Oscar]

Planning for Nuclear Power

[ https://saskpower.com/nuclear ]

We’ll be in the Estevan area connecting with people on the small modular reactor project to answer questions and provide more information. Find out where and when below.

SMR Engagement Schedule

Site Offices

We’ll be available to connect with people in the Estevan area as it’s one of the closest communities to the potential site. Feel free to stop by during the dates and times noted below to learn more about the SMR project and to ask any questions you may have.

Shoppers Mall in Estevan, 10 am to 6 pm
November 5
November 19
December 3