The Ontario Clean Air Alliance is calling on the provincial government to release additional financial information about the Bruce Nuclear Refurbishment Project, saying more transparency is needed to support claims that the project is ahead of schedule and under budget.
The request follows a June announcement by Energy Minister Stephen Lecce, who said Bruce Power’s Unit 3 refurbishment was completed seven months ahead of schedule and below budget.
The alliance argues that the province has not released the original budget for Unit 3, the final refurbishment cost or an updated estimate for the overall Bruce Nuclear Refurbishment Project, making it impossible for the public to independently verify those claims.
The group also points to Bruce Power’s current electricity price under its contract with the province, saying it has increased since the refurbishment project was approved in 2015.
The Ontario Clean Air Alliance is urging the government to release updated project costs, the original and final Unit 3 refurbishment budgets and revised electricity price projections, arguing that Ontarians will ultimately pay for the project through their hydro bills.
The Ontario government has maintained that the Bruce Nuclear Refurbishment Project is ahead of schedule and under budget. The province has not publicly responded to the alliance’s latest statement.
(Written by: Branden Rushton)
