TWISTED LOGIC IN ALBERTA: NUKE ENERGY INSTEAD OF CARBON TAX?

This is an indication of just how big a boogey man the idea of a carbon tax is. This man can actually try to convince people to take on all the risks, financial burdens and dangers of building a new nuclear energy plant by raising the spectre of A NEW TAX. Nevermind that nuclear energy is subsidized by government. Nevermind that if a “carbon tax” were ever implemented it would have provisions to return revenues to the economy. Nevermind a rational assessment of risk and benefit. Just be afraid, be very afraid of that horrible monster the BIG BAD TAX. For more on this, read NUCLEAR TO DIG SANDS? Obviously, Energy Alberta will use any excuse to build its plant.

Energy Alberta boss says nuclear energy will protect province from carbon tax
September 18, 2007 (Canadian Business)

WHO
Wayne Henuset, president, Energy Alberta

The Peace River region. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
Henuset advocates on behalf of Alberta’s proposed Peace River nuclear power plant with the argument that since eastern Canadian provinces have nuclear energy and no oil and gas resources, if Alberta does not develop a similar emission-free energy resource it is likely to bear the brunt of any “carbon tax” Canada institutes.

WHEN
The Peace River nuclear project has not yet won regulatory approval.

WHERE
- The Peace River region is in northern Alberta, near the province’s enormous oil and gas resources.
- Henuset singled out the politically powerful eastern provinces of Ontario and Quebec as potential “carbon tax” advocates at Alberta’s expense.

WHY
- Henuset’s argument has a twisted logic designed to intimidate the citizens of Alberta into moving toward nuclear energy.
- Energy Alberta’s 2,200 megawatt nuclear power plant would have a Candu twin reactor and cost $6.2 billion.
- While Henuset described nuclear energy as “clean’ he did not mention the problem of nuclear waste disposal. There is no known safe way to dispose to the radioactive byproducts of nuclear energy.
- Another curious argument the Peace River project’s advocates have used is that the nuclear energy can drive oil wells in the resource-abundant but difficult-to-develop oil sands region.

Canada has renewable resources. But folks like Energy Alberta seem determined to take the short-term, profit-hungry route. (click to enlarge.

QUOTES
- Henuset: "Alberta’s power requirements are growing by 400 MWs every year…Alberta is ready for nuclear power and the timing is right, the timing is now."
- Henuset, on a conversation with a nuclear physicist: "[The nuclear physicist] said [nuclear] is cleaner, safer, more reliable, dependable and stable, and he pointed out that 'you guys in Alberta' have these crazy power prices that go up and down because one day your gas is costing this much and the next, it's way up here…How can anyone run a business with that instability? He made a strong case."