A discussion paper released by an Ontario energy industry think tank recommends that the province take steps to secure new CANDU 6 reactors for the Darlington site. In late February, the Council for Clean and Reliable Electricity (CCRE) released a paper titled, “CANDU at Darlington: Securing Jobs and Energy for the new Economy.”
The author Don Lawson makes the case that negotiations should start immediately for ordering Enhanced CANDU 6 reactors to provide what he describes as “a safe, secure and reliable source of electricity to replace the reactors at Pickering which will end their useful lives shortly after 2020.” Buying CANDU, he points out, will utilize local manufacturing expertise, and secure existing highly skilled jobs in the nuclear industry in Canada. CANDU technology has the added benefit of being fueled by natural uranium from Canada while all other nuclear technology options would require the use of imported enriched fuel.
Lawson concludes that “deciding to build the Enhanced CANDU 6 at Darlington is a sound way to maintain a secure electricity supply for Ontario and ... it ensures also that an indigenous nuclear industry will remain available to supply Canada’s energy requirements.”
The paper was the third article in the organization’s Commentary initiative, which is intended to stimulate debate on current electricity public policy. The CCRE describes itself as “a forum for reasoned analysis on subjects related to electricity policy.” In the past the Council has sponsored conferences on clean coal technology, nuclear power, governance models in the electricity sector and biomass energy opportunities.