A big change of corporate direction for Bruce Power.
The nuclear company has pulled back from any new build in Ontario at either the existing Tiverton site or a proposed new location at Nanticoke.
Bruce Power Vice President of Corporate Affairs Murray Elston says they have done this because of the declining demand in Ontario for electricity.
Elston says what the company will now be doing is focus on completing the refurbishment of Bruce A units 1 and 2, and then investigate the feasibility of refurbishing Units 3 to 8.
He says the decision not to build at Nanticoke was a reflection of lower power demands rather than the strong opposition to the proposal from Provincial Energy Minister George Smitherman.
Elston says this decision will have no effect on efforts by the company to construct new nuclear power plants in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
He says the company now is in the process of withdrawing its application to build new reactors with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and have notified the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency they have suspended Environmental assessments for the Bruce and Naniticoke sites.
Elston says he has no dollar figure on how much was spent by the company preparing to build at Naniticoke, but it was a substantial amount.
He says the proposed refurbishment of Units 3 to 8 would create up to 3 thousand construction jobs and represent a multi billion dollar investment over 10 years.
Elston also says extending the live of the sites 8 reactors would provide long term employment to more than 4 thousand people.