For Immediate Release:
“DECISION ON THE FUTURE OF PICKEING NUCLEAR PLANT WILL HAVE MAJOR IMPACTS ON PICKERING FOR GENERATIONS TO COME”
Says Maurice Brenner former Pickering Councillor and Candidate for Mayor
Pickering Ontario: February 9, 2010
“The pending announcement with reference to the Pickering Nuclear Plant, will have major ramifications on our community both in the short term and in the long term” says former Regional Councillor and Mayoralty Candidate Maurice Brenner.
The plant which has already posed issues of safety for decades has also been responsible for the soaring Hydro debt that is transferred to each resident as part of their electricity bill.
“We will be not only paying the debt that this plant has run up but also take a financial hit when it is closed”
Brenner believes that OPG and or the Upper level of Government (Federal and Provincial) needs to accept some responsibility and bring forward a plan that will deal with the economic fall out that will follow.
There are real issues of sustainability. What about the jobs not just in the short term but in the long run? What about the economic spin offs to the City of Pickering itself, who relies on revenues tied to the Plant.
“Given the commitments that have been made to the people of Pickering by OPG, It is unfortunate that something of this magnitude was not disclosed to the host community first” adds Brenner
In addition there is the recent brewing controversy over placement of the additional sirens in the Bay Ridges and West Shore Communities, If the Plant will be closed in 10 Years, why now? Has the risk increased? Did Durham Region know when it sent its recommendations to Council? As a member of the Nuclear Host Community why was the Council not informed?
Who knew?
Other concerns suggest that given their age and life dependency, prolonging its operation for a decade through a mere “Tune-up” is like only changing sparkplugs on a 25 year old car, no matter how well its maintained the likely hood of it meeting current standards is impossible. With this plant being one of the few located in a densely populated area, the People of Pickering should not be expected to shoulder the impacts if some thing goes wrong. The Nuclear Liability Act which has been an issue for sometime would not even come close to off setting the costs in the event that something went wrong over the next decade.
.And what about the future? This a full scale closure of a nuclear plant on our waterfront and community its not like the lay ups that took place a decade ago for Pickering A.
Brenner wants Council to immediately take action to kick start a badly needed community meeting with OPG and others who are responsible.
We as a community have the right to not only be informed but to be engaged in what will effect us for decades to follow. Its not like just turning off a light switch.
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