Political Winds in Canada Blowing Nuclear Energy's Way

There's been a cabinet shake-up in Canada, with Prime Minister Stephen Harper naming John Baird Environment Minister. At Canadian Energy Issues, Stephen Aplin looks at the politics involved:

As the most recent Ontario Conservative to hold that job, Baird inherited the Pickering unit 4 near-fiasco from his predecessor Jim Wilson. The unit 4 project signaled Ontario’s recommitment to nuclear energy, and while intensely uncomfortable for all concerned, provided invaluable lessons for the unit 1 rehab, approved by the McGuinty Liberals in 2004 and completed on time and within budget in late 2005.

The return of units 1 and 4 has played a pivotal role in reducing Ontario’s electricity-sector greenhouse gas (GHG) and smog emissions by 12 million tonnes a year since 2000. As I have pointed out, this is a major achievement: it is by far the biggest emission reduction since Canada signed the Kyoto accord in 1997. Only a very few alert reporters have noticed.

For more background, click here. The bottom line: The political landscape is turning in favor of nuclear energy, an amazing turnaround.

Technorati tags: Nuclear Energy, Environment , Energy, Politics, Technology, Economics, Ontario, Canada