[cdn-nucl-l] Ontario Power Generation's emissions

["Brown, Morgan" <brownmj@aecl.ca>]

Ontario Power Generation is damned if they do, damned if they don't.  Eight
of OPG's CANDU nuclear reactors were shut down for refurbishment in the
period from Oct 1995 to April 1998, to concentrate rehabilitation efforts on
the remaining 12 reactors.  Those efforts are bearing fruit, as seen in the
steadily-improving OPG public report card marks, and in the increase in
nuclear-generated electricity.  In the period January 1 1999  to Aug 31
1999, OPG's 12 operating reactors have generated 44.47 TWhe (gross),
according to Nucleonics Week.  In the same period in 1998, those same
reactors generated 42.93 TWhe (gross); and in the same period in 1997 they
generated 38.71 TWhe (gross).  There is, of course, still progress to be
made.

Anyhow, today's Globe and Mail carries a story - Ontario Power to exceed
pollution limit - which describes how OPG will have to buy NOx credits.
Apparently the fossil stations will generate 50,000 tonnes of NOx this year,
while the limit is 38,000 tonnes/annum.

<BEGIN QUOTE>
<SNIP>
Environmentalists are calling on the province to force Ontario Power to
adhere to its emission cap and stop the purchase of pollution credits.
"In order to protect our health and to maintain credibility with our
American neighbours, [provincial] Environment Minister Tony Clement must not
permit Ontario Power Generation to emit more than 38,000 tonnes of nitrogen
oxides from its smokestacks," said Sara Bjorkquist, a spokeswoman for the
Ontario Clean Air Alliance.
<SNIP>
The current price for the right to emit a tonne of nitrogen oxide is about
$1,000 to $1,500 a year. Ontario Power estimates it might have to pay
$15-million to $20-million next year for these credits.
<SNIP>
Last year, the utility emitted 55,800 tonnes of nitrogen oxides. Mr. Fox
said advanced pollution-control technology for fossil-fuel-fired plants
would cost the utility up to $1-billion and add 10 per cent to operating
costs.
Mr. Fox said Ontario Power has spent more than $1-billion on
air-pollution-reduction measures. The company's fossil-fuel stations are
producing the same amount of energy as they did in the mid-1980s, put
emitting only 40 per cent of the pollution, he said.
<END QUOTE>


my opinions only

- Morgan Brown