An aerial photo of the Bruce B plant on the shores of Lake Huron, Saugeen Ojibway Nation territory. Photo supplied
Kiera Merriam
Bruce Power is touting its proposed Bruce C nuclear expansion as a once-in-a-generation nation-building project, one that it says would secure affordable clean electricity for Ontario and create tens of thousands of jobs, injecting billions into Canada's economy over the life of the plant.
In an October 28 media release, the company describes Bruce C as “a cornerstone in Canada’s clean energy future” that would cement Canada’s leadership not just in nuclear energy but also in medical isotope production.
But in their submission to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) in August 2024, Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON), on whose territory the plant sits, has raised concerns about cumulative environmental risk as well as the assessment process itself and says that Bruce Power has moved ahead before SON has had the information required for free, prior, and informed consent.
The project is said to add up to 4,800 megawatts (MW) of nuclear generation, enough to power millions of homes through the new build, driving the site's total capacity to 12,000 MW, making it the largest nuclear generation station on the globe.
Ontario's energy plan forecasts that electricity demand will double by 2050, caused by population growth and the adoption of electrification across multiple sector and Bruce Power has always argued that large-scale nuclear is the backbone of "clean, reliable, and affordable power" adding that expanding an already-licensed site is faster and lower-risk than building a new plant elsewhere.
The Bruce C project is now in the federal Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) process and if it goes ahead is expected to have a potential operating life of 60 to 100 years.
In their submission to IAAC, SON said that their technical advisor on radiation safety warned that Bruce C would dramatically increase the concentration of nuclear infrastructure, radioactive material, and nuclear waste on Saukiing Anishinaabekiing territory. The site, which sits on the shores of Lake Huron, is already home to large stores of low- and intermediate-level nuclear waste as well as a large quantity of Canada's spent fuel and SON says that expansion shouldn't be considered without a clear plan for disposal and waste management.
The proposed expansion stands to have significant impacts on SON’s lands, waters, and community, the submission read, and considering the potential impacts and risks of the Bruce C project, emphasizes the critical need for a rigorous and comprehensive assessment process.
"It is essential that this process not only fulfills regulatory requirements but also meets the constitutional obligations owed to SON," said their submission to IAAC.
"Ultimately, this process must be capable of providing SON members with the information necessary to weigh the proposal and to determine whether the expansion can be supported," read the submission.
