Canadian firm seeks home for new plant
Tuesday, 8 May 2007
Canada has huge reserves of oil sands - gritty mixtures of bitumen which contain useful oil. Extracting it requires huge amounts of heat and steam. The costs of natural gas can account for up to 60% of operating costs at an oil sands facility, and the associated greenhouse gas emissions are a further barrier to economic oil extraction. Nuclear could be a way of providing the necessary power. According to Alberta Energy President Wayne Henuset, "I believe nuclear is the best way to produce the power the province needs."
Henuset and other Energy Alberta members are planning to visit the communities involved to talk about the project's "rewards, the environmental impacts and the alternatives." "People are for this and want this and understand it," he is quoted as saying. Although the province's Conservative party has voted in favour of exploring nuclear for use in oil sands extraction, its energy minister, Mel Knight, has said the provincial government is staying neutral on the matter. He assured that there would be no development within the province without open, public discussions.
The company is planning to submit an application to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission on 15 June, according to reports. A decision on the location of the plant is expected by 15 September.
Further information
EnergyAlberta
Energy Alberta is searching for communities to host the province's largest power station to provide emission-free power for oil sands projects. The company plans to build a 2200 MWe twin Candu reactor plant in northern Alberta, and is looking at the town of Whitecourt among others.
Energy Alberta is searching for communities to host the province's largest power station, which would provide emission-free power for oil sands projects. The company plans to build a C$6.2 billion ($5.6 billion) 2200 MWe twin Candu reactor plant in northern Alberta, and is looking at the town of Whitecourt and other Alberta communities as potential hosts.Canada has huge reserves of oil sands - gritty mixtures of bitumen which contain useful oil. Extracting it requires huge amounts of heat and steam. The costs of natural gas can account for up to 60% of operating costs at an oil sands facility, and the associated greenhouse gas emissions are a further barrier to economic oil extraction. Nuclear could be a way of providing the necessary power. According to Alberta Energy President Wayne Henuset, "I believe nuclear is the best way to produce the power the province needs."
Henuset and other Energy Alberta members are planning to visit the communities involved to talk about the project's "rewards, the environmental impacts and the alternatives." "People are for this and want this and understand it," he is quoted as saying. Although the province's Conservative party has voted in favour of exploring nuclear for use in oil sands extraction, its energy minister, Mel Knight, has said the provincial government is staying neutral on the matter. He assured that there would be no development within the province without open, public discussions.
The company is planning to submit an application to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission on 15 June, according to reports. A decision on the location of the plant is expected by 15 September.
Further information
EnergyAlberta
WNN: EnergyAlberta prepare to introduce nuclear
WNN: Not 'if' but 'when' for nuclear oil sands
Most Read
_92619.jpg)
Deep Atomic launches SMR for data centres
Friday, 25 October 2024
_84504.jpg)
Framatome to share fast reactor experience with Japan
Friday, 6 December 2024

Czech Republic selects Rolls-Royce SMR for small reactors project
Thursday, 19 September 2024

Study shows existing US sites suitable for new build
Tuesday, 10 September 2024
Podcasts & Features
Briefing: The SMR Regulators’ Forum
Podcasts & Features Tuesday, 4 February 2025
Podcast: The international forum helping make advanced reactors a reality
Podcasts & Features Wednesday, 29 January 2025
