They didn’t land the big prize.
Infrastructure Ontario announcing this morning that the Darlington site has been selected for two new nuclear reactors.
But that doesn’t mean the Bruce site is being left out.
Infrastructure Ontario also announcing that Bruce Power will be allowed to increase their production to 6,300 megawatts.
Bruce Power President and CEO Duncan Hawthorne, members of Bruce County Council, Huron Bruce Liberal MPP Carol Mitchell, and Citizens for Bruce “C” Co-Chairs Doug Mullaly, Dave Trumble, and Doug Storey were at the Bruce Power Visitors Centre today to give their reactions to the announcements.
Bruce County Warden Milt McIver says the announcement is huge for Kincardine and Bruce County.
He says the increase in capacity guarantees the long-term economic security of the region.
He says it will keep the workforce in the area and that was what they had hoped for.
Kincardine Mayor Larry Kraemer echoes McIver’s comments adding it will provide years of strong continuous employment and investment in the area.
He says you can’t do better than that.
From Bruce Power’s perspective, Hawthorne says this was never really a competition between Darlington and Bruce.
He says even though there won’t be any new build “today” doesn’t mean there won’t be one “tomorrow.”
Hawthorne says the Province has chosen to recognize that the Bruce site remain as the biggest nuclear facility in Ontario.
He says the announcement suggests the Province is — more or less — prepared to engage in discussions with Bruce Power in achieving that status whether it is through refurbishment or new build.
Hawthorne says the company will be investing another $10 billion to get the four Bruce A reactors up and running.
But he says it is still the most cost efficient way of producing electricity.
