The Saskatchewan government wants to spend $5 billion taxpayer dollars on one Small Modular Nuclear Reactor.
What are Small Modular Nuclear Reactors?
Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (also known as SMRs) are exactly what they sound like. They are small-sized nuclear reactors.
Despite their small physical size, SMRs are an expensive way to generate power. In fact, the full cost of SMRs (currently estimated at $5 billion dollars each) is unknown since they are not yet commercially available.
The cost of one SMR will drastically increase SaskPower’s debt by a whopping 38%, while only meeting 7% of Saskatchewan’s electricity needs. This debt will take taxpayers like you and your family an entire generation to pay off.
SMR technology provides too little, too late, with too many risks. There are way cheaper options available to us now.
How much is a billion, really?
A billion is a thousand millions. That’s a lot of money.
Did you know?
For a quarter of the cost, we could get the same amount of electricity from safe, reliable, and Saskatchewan-made renewable energy as we can get from only one SMR.
That means more electricity generation for fewer taxpayer dollars.
Renewables are affordable.
Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are a cost-effective and stable solution for a secure energy future, helping us lower our energy bills.
The 200-megawatt Golden Southey wind facility near Assiniboia, SK cost $340 million dollars. By comparison, SMRs are intended to generate up to 300-megawatts for a price tag of $5 billion dollars.
Renewables are reliable and safe.
Solar power can work on cloudy days and wind power can work on calm days. And contrary to popular belief, Saskatchewan’s frigid temperatures can actually boost solar panel efficiency.
On the other hand, SMRs have the same problems as other nuclear reactors:
The required backup systems for nuclear reactors are expensive.
Nuclear accidents cause widespread contamination.
And after 70 years of nuclear energy production in Canada, the nuclear industry is still decades away from a permanent facility for Canada’s radioactive waste.
Renewables are local.
Locally produced power creates steady jobs here, at home, in Saskatchewan. The shift to renewable energy is already generating jobs in our province, and over 140,000 clean energy jobs are expected by 2050.
Renewable energy offers a path to economic stability for our families and growth for the future of our province.
Renewables can be deployed right now.
Saskatchewan already has renewable energy in its electricity grid. And more can be deployed right now.
Because of how slowly SMR technology is being developed, we won’t see an operable SMR in our electricity grid for at least another decade, and likely longer.
Saskatchewan has the opportunity of a lifetime.
Our province gets more sunlight than anywhere else. It also has world-class wind opportunities.
Choosing renewables will bring down pollution and bring down costs.
Saskatchewan has the potential to be an energy leader by developing a cleaner, safer, and more economically viable electricity grid.
That’s a win-win-win!
Does spending $5 billion taxpayer dollars on only one nuclear reactor make sense to you?
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