THURSDAY, September 29, 2022 – Canadians for Nuclear Energy (C4NE) applauds the announcement by Ontario Minister of Energy, Todd Smith, that the government is seeking a life-extension of Pickering Nuclear Generating Station through Summer 2026 and is exploring the long-term refurbishment of the station.
We are grateful to all those who felt emboldened by C4NE’s campaign to extend Pickering’s operating life, which began in 2020, and joined in the effort to make this victory possible.
In July 2022, we launched our first major report, Save Pickering, which was widely read among industry leaders, energy experts, and policymakers. The report built a comprehensive case for refurbishing Pickering on economic, energy security, and climate grounds.
The government’s announcement is a strong first step toward a future where the benefits of nuclear energy and its highly skilled workforce are properly valued.
Dr. Chris Keefer, president of C4NE, called the life-extension and possible refurbishment of Pickering Nuclear Generating Station a “huge victory for climate, for clean air, for good jobs, and for healthcare.
"By avoiding a surge of gas-fired electricity in 2025, we are keeping 5 million tons of carbon dioxide out of the air, securing 13 million megawatt-hours of high-value, clean electricity, continuing to produce medical isotopes to sterilize 40% of the world’s single use medical devices, and providing at least a year of job security to the invaluable workers that make it possible.”