Ontario’s Bruce Power talks of nuke plant for northern Alberta

Nuclear power could cut oil sands emissions

Bruce Power, a private nuclear utility that generates about a fifth of Ontario’s electricity, said Thursday it has taken a step that could lead to construction of Western Canada’s first nuclear plant.

Bruce said it filed an application with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for clearance to prepare a possible site in Alberta’s Peace River district.


A first reactor could be ready as early as 2017, and the plant could eventually have four reactors producing enough power to supply two million homes, a company statement said.

Nuclear power has long been discussed as a way to cut greenhouse gas emissions from Alberta’s oil sands projects, where huge volumes of natural gas are burned to produce power and steam.

CBC