Here is an article with updated information on the Point Lepreau nuclear refurbishment in New Brunswick.
Interestingly, no journalists have been tracking AECL’s comparable problems going on at Bruce Power.
Posts Tagged ‘AECL’
Update on AECL’s Commercial Disaster Happening in New Brunswick
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010Point Lepreau Refurbishment - No News is Not Good News
Thursday, April 15th, 2010AECL and NB Power are keeping New Brunswick consumers in the dark about progress toward restarting the crippled Point Lepreau reactor. The attached article was published in the New Brunswick Telegraph Journal newspaper April 15th, 2010.
Comments on AECL’s Federal Budget Allocations
Saturday, March 6th, 2010AECL has been allocated $300 million for fiscal 10/11 on a cash basis in the federal budget. Given AECL’s track record in recent years of securing unbudgeted top-up payments through the year, taxpayers may well see greater cash losses this year. The stipulation in the budget that the funds are provided on a “cash basis” suggests that the allocation does not cover expected future losses, which are not specified.
My quote in the Telegraph Journal news story of March 5th: “We know the isotope business is a disaster - it’s an international embarrassment. But now it turns out that all the business acumen (AECL) brought to the isotope sector has been transferred the to refurbishment business.”
I am also quoted in the Globe and Mail news story of March 5th, wherein I am described as a consultant for the Association of Major Power Consumers in Ontario. Although this statement is true, it is not relevant to the story, not reflective the positions of AMPCO, and not an element of the interview I had with the Globe and Mail reporter.
Shawn McCarthy had an excellent update on AECL’s final taxpayer take for fiscal 09/10 in the Globe on March 4th — $824 million. Of this amount, at least $410 million has been earmarked to cover losses on CANDU refurbishment contracts. AECL is reliving OPG’s Pickering A refurbishment experience. Previous reports have indicated losses at New Brunswick’s Point Lepreau reactor and Ontario’s Bruce complex, but McCarthy’s report is the first to finger losses at the reactor AECL is refurbishing in South Korea. AECL is currently seeking a refurbishment contract with Argentina.
Praise for OPG’s Decision to Forego Retubing Pickering B
Thursday, February 11th, 2010Attached is a transcript of a brief interview with CH TV February 10, 2010 for the show “Live at 5:30″ hosted by Mark Hebscher and Donna Skelly. In the interview, I praise OPG’s decision to not retube Pickering B. I also question why Samsung does not show up on the Ontario government’s official lobbyist registry.
AECL Credibility Meltdown in New Brunswick
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009Here are links to media reports and commentary in New Brunswick discussing developments with AECL’s role in the refurbishment of the Point Lepreau reactor based on information current to late September 2009.
The story of the Lepreau reactor from 1995 onward is extremely significant from the perspective of regulatory effectiveness, nuclear economics, Candu 600 viability, and electricity politics. A few reporters and editors, such as Daniel McCarty, Neil Reynolds, Lisa Hrabluk, and Mike Holmes, deserve special mention for getting on the story early as does the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies.
In other parts of Canada concerned with nuclear matters, the lessons that just jump out from the facts of New Brunswick’s experience, are virtually unknown.
AECL competence must be addressed
AECL issues status report on the Point Lepreau Life Extension Project
AECL says N.B. reactor delay now 16 months
Refurb meltdown
Nuclear Future: Ontario’s New Build and AECL
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009This interview was conducted July 17, 2009. The interview was conducted by 360 Energy, an energy service and energy management firm, as part of their series on energy issues.
Part 1 discusses why the Ontario and federal governments deserve credit for introducing a new level of financial responsibility and realism not previous evident in nuclear policy in Canada. The advantages of competitive procurement of electricity supply, the implications of China’s 2005 decision against further Candu construction, and priorities for AECL wind-up are also discussed.
Part 2 discusses the current power generation surplus in Ontario, the need for the Ontario Power Authority to update the Integrated Power System Plan for Ontario so that Ontario can make better decisions on when and what kind of new supply to acquire, and the planning flexibility provided by the emission upgrades at some of Ontario’s coal-fired power stations.
Part 3 focuses on the costs for the consumers of Ontario government agencies imprudently enterring into long term contracts for new power generation without a plan setting out how the new and existing resources on the system will meet consumer needs.
Watch the videos here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoZkSU3Lcmw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyVDkmUmfFk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH9LNGB4Nw8