Former United States Senator and Governor of Indiana Evan Bayh will assist in the release of a collaborative report that highlights the environmental and economic benefits of nuclear energy on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region.
‘Driving Economic Growth & Keeping the Air Clean: The Role of Nuclear Power in the Great Lakes Region’ takes an in-depth look at nuclear energy in the eight states and two provinces that make up the region. The report is a collaborative effort between Bruce Power, the Council of the Great Lakes Region and the Provincial Building & Construction Trades Council of Ontario.
Following are a few of the report’s highlights:
- Emissions-free nuclear power annually avoids 250 million metric tonnes of CO2 in the air, which is equivalent to removing over 52 million passenger cars from the road.
- The 55 nuclear reactors in the Great Lakes region directly and indirectly employ over 80,000 highly skilled workers annually through operations, manufacturing, support and contract work.
- These facilities combine to inject an estimated $10 to $12 billion a year into the Great Lakes economies through direct and indirect spending in operational equipment, supplies, materials and labour income.
Senator Bayh is the co-chair of Nuclear Matters, an American organization that educates the public on the benefits of nuclear power. He will speak at an Empire Club luncheon on Sept. 16 in Toronto, when the report will be released.
“Nuclear energy is reliable, affordable and, most importantly, a carbon-free electricity resource that doesn’t get the credit it deserves,” Sen. Bayh said. “I laud the three organizations involved in this report for moving the conversation about nuclear energy forward, and look forward to sharing its findings with my fellow Americans.”
Duncan Hawthorne, Bruce Power’s President and CEO, said nuclear power is a necessary energy source in the battle against climate change.
“Ontario has shown it is possible to close down coal-fired generating facilities, which emit massive amounts of harmful greenhouse gases, while stimulating the economy through nuclear projects,” Hawthorne said. “This report outlines the existing benefits of nuclear energy in the Great Lakes Region and also highlights areas we can improve.”
Mark Fisher, President and CEO of the Council of the Great Lakes Region, said many of the states and provinces in the region rely on nuclear power to provide reliable and affordable baseload energy to power their homes and businesses, while improving air quality.
“Nuclear is a stable, affordable and clean source of energy which powers about 30 per cent of the Great Lakes Region,” Fisher said. “It injects billions of dollars into the regional economy and has the additional benefit of cleaning the air our families breathe. The Council of the Great Lakes Region is a great supporter of clean energy initiatives, of which nuclear is a major contributor.”
Patrick Dillon, the Business Manager and Secretary Treasurer of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario, said nuclear power is a source of thousands of jobs for its members across Ontario.
“A strong role for clean, affordable, reliable nuclear power will help sustain a highly-trained workforce and a robust, diversified economy, which is important to communities across Ontario,” Dillon said. “Our skilled tradespeople are proud to be part of an industry that injects billions of dollars into Ontario’s economy on an annual basis, while being a major contributor to our province’s clean air initiatives.”
For more information:
Mark Fisher
President and CEO
Council of the Great Lakes Region
(613) 668-2044
mark@councilgreatlakesregion.org
Patrick Dillon
Business Manager and Secretary Treasurer
Provincial Building & Construction Trades Council of Ontario
(416) 347-8245
patrick@ontariobuildingtrades.com
John Peevers
Media Relations
Bruce Power
(519) 361-6583
john.peevers@brucepower.com
