They may be down, but they’re not out.
That was the general feel of a speech by Bruce Power Vice President of Corporate Affairs Murray Elston to members of the Kincardine Chamber of Commerce.
The recession has led to a drop in demand for electricity that has resulted in temporary shutdowns of reactors at the Tiverton site.
Bruce Power has also shelved the idea for two new builds.
But Elston says they’re now focusing on getting ready to refurbish the Bruce B plant, once the Bruce A project is finished.
He says the company is still on track with plans for nuclear generating plants in Saskatchewan and Alberta too, and they’re working hard to get communities in those provinces on side.
Elston says the issues now are about performing the job they already do at the Bruce County location well, doing the work to keep people and units operating safely, and to make the money needed to get the work done.
The good news is that Bruce Power will focus on achieving the 63 hundred megawatt output that the Ontario Power Authority is expecting it to provide.
Elston says that however won’t be possible until both Bruce A and B are refurbished and all eight reactors are running, and the new transmission line to Milton is built to carry the extra load.
He says that over the past 40 years, the Bruce generating stations have already transformed the local community and gave it a new sense of purpose economically.
Elston says continued refurbishing work will ensure that direction continues for another 40 years.
A former Liberal MPP and provincial health minister, Elston says the current Energy scene in Ontario is quite different from when he sat around the cabinet table during the late 1980’s.
He says in the 1980’s — primary and manufacturing industries in Ontario were solid and expanding.
Elston says today, there hasn’t been a resurgence in areas like forestry and steel, that usually demand a lot of electricity.
As for the future though, Elston says the prospects for increased electrical consumption are good.
He says if we all start driving electric cars, they’ll have to be plugged in somehow to charge up, and that means more power generation will be needed.
Elston says the company is also getting ready for hearings this fall when its operating licence’s come up for renewal.
He says those talks will cover all units at Bruce A and B, and will take place in October.
Elston says letters of support from local businesses and organizations are always welcome when it comes time for Bruce Power to make it’s case for licence renewal.