Bruce Power does its part to help Ontario residents breathe easier

Ontario residents have been breathing easier since the final coal plants were shut down in 2014, according to a report released last week by the provincial government.

 

The 2014 Air Quality Report shows there were no smog advisories that year, which directly corresponds to the shut down of Ontario’s coal-fired electricity plants.

Bruce Power played a major role in this clean-air initiative by providing 70 per cent of the carbon-free energy the province needed to shutter these plants through the return-to-service of Bruce A’s four units over the past 12 years, states a press release from Bruce Power.

 

The elimination of smog advisories in 2014 – a sharp decline from the 53 advisories as recently as 2005, when coal was still a major contributor to the energy supply mix – has resulted in cleaner air for Ontario’s residents.

 

“Since 2001, Bruce Power has doubled the number of its operating units, contributing significantly to Ontario’s commitment to phase out coal,” said Kevin Kelly, chief financial officer and acting president of Bruce Power. “All clean sources of electricity have done their part to achieve this goal, including additional generation from renewables and conservation. However, Bruce Power’s nuclear contribution to this is significant as our nuclear units provide a high level of reliability and stable, carbon-free, low-cost power for 30 per cent less than the average residential price of electricity.”

 

Ontario’s Long-Term Energy Plan is looking to Bruce Power to continue producing 30 per cent of the province’s power for future generations. The company will do so by investing 13-billion private dollars into its nuclear units, extending the life of its reactors to 2064 through the refurbishment of Units 3-8.

 

“Bruce Power is committed to operating the site through 2064, providing Ontarians with carbon-free energy that will keep our air clean for our children and grandchildren,” Kelly said. “We’ve done our part to help shut down coal, and we look forward to being a leader in clean electricity generation for decades.”