Areva deal smacks of politics: PCs, Greens

The Liberal government's planned announcement with France's Areva on Thursday regarding a possible second nuclear reactor is being derided by New Brunswick's opposition political parties.

Energy Minister Jack said the French nuclear company has been courting New Brunswick with the idea of a second reactor at Point Lepreau, along with solar and tidal power alternatives.

The Liberal government has scheduled a big announcement for Thursday with Areva's chief executive officer.

Although the details are not known, Keir said this week the two sides were close to a letter of intent that would allow Areva to begin lining up the business case for the second nuclear reactor and the proposed clean energy park.

New Brunswick's fixed-election date law means voters will go to the polls on Sept. 27 and at least two political parties are criticizing the Areva talks as electioneering.

Progressive Conservative Leader David Alward said the Liberals are moving too quickly ahead with plans for a second reactor.

"Before we go forward with the future of energy with New Brunswick, we need to have a roadmap to get there," Alward said.

Alward said the province needs that plan before committing to any large energy projects.

Premier Shawn Graham promised in the 2006 election campaign that the Liberals would study the feasibility of a second nuclear reactor. Former Tory premier Bernard Lord made a similar promise in March 2006.

Areva had pitched a second nuclear reactor to the New Brunswick government in 2007. However, the Liberals opted to sign an agreement with Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. and a consortium of private sector companies called Team Candu New Brunswick.

NB Power's Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station, Atlantic Canada's only reactor, is a Candu-6 reactor, which is AECL's technology.

AECL is in the process the $1.4-billion refurbishment of the nuclear station but it is more a year behind schedule.

AECL and Team Candu New Brunswick abandoned the plan to build a merchant reactor next to Point Lepreau and sell the electricity into the New York and New England market.

No new reactors: Greens

Green Party Leader Jack MacDougall said he agrees with the Tories that the province needs an energy policy. But MacDougall said when one is drafted a new nuclear reactor should be no part of it.

"You get 30 years of economic activity, maybe jobs and important jobs for some, I understand that. But the impact, the aftermath, is incalculable what we're leaving behind," MacDougall said.

Both MacDougall and Alward have criticized the Areva announcement saying it smacks of politics considering the Sept. 27 election is only a few months away.

Keir said in an interview on Tuesday that he would not apologize for the timing of the announcement.

"I'm not going to apologize for the timing. We've got an opportunity before us and we're going to take advantage of it if it's there," Keir said.

The Green leader said the provincial government shouldn't be entertaining new nuclear energy talks when the Point Lepreau reactor is so far behind schedule.

"To me, this is kind of like [BP] saying let's do some more deep-sea drilling here, while the gusher is still gushing," MacDougall said referring to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

"I mean, you look at Lepreau right now, it's gushing a million bucks a day [in extra fuelcosts due to the delay] and more probably and they're talking about a second nuclear reactor."