Tory party members to tackle nuclear power debate

The future of nuclear energy in Alberta is on the agenda at the provincial Conservative party's annual general meeting in Edmonton this weekend.

A resolution from a party member calling on the province to study Alberta's nuclear potential comes as the Calgary Herald reports that two companies met with Tory caucus in Edmonton to talkabout building a Candu reactor, possibly near Whitecourt.

Supporters believe a nuclear plant could help power the oilsands, but opponents are convinced it would be too costly andbe too great arisk to public safety.

Roberta Leaver, from the riding ofCalgary Mountain View, said she hopes party members will support her resolution calling for the government to set up a committee to study the province's nuclear potential.

"The government needs to get in there to convince the public of the safety and the wisdom of building these plants, both environmentally and economically," she said.

"This could save water, gas, produce electricity and stop C02 emissions. It just fits the bill."

According to the Calgary Herald, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. and Calgary-based Energy Alberta Corp. met with the Tory caucus Thursday to talk aboutbuilding a $6.2-billion Candu reactor in north-central Alberta.

Energy Alberta president Wayne Henuset told the newspaper that a major oil and gas company was already interested in buying electricity from the plant.

Two serious oilsands players Husky Energy Inc. and Total SA of France were publicly mulling overthe nuclear option earlier this year.

While federal Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunnhas told reporters he favours using nuclear energy to extract petroleum from the oilsands in Alberta, provincial Environment Minister Rob Renner promised "some fairly broad-based public consultation" first.

A waste of time: environmental group

Mark Winfield,a director with the Pembina Institute, an Alberta-based environmental think-tank, said it's a waste of time to even consider the issue.

"It just doesn't look like nuclear is seriously on the horizon for the oilsands," he said.

He said nuclear power in Alberta is a non-starter because there isn't enough water, the startup costs are in the billions of dollars and there is still no secure way to store the waste.

"I don't think we need a committee to study it. It's becoming painfully clear that technologically this doesn't work, and perhaps even more importantly, the oilsands companies themselves just aren't interested," he said.

Winfield said he sympathizes with those who would like to see oilsands companies use less natural gas, but he believes there are other energy solutions in development that can be used instead of nuclear.