Green Energy Solutions- It's time to go renewable

Let's clear the record. Nuclear power will not be good for Saskatchewan's economy. It will cost us billions, and cost overruns are common practice. The Government of Ontario has a debt of $38 billion from nuclear power cost overruns-- a debt the taxpayers of Ontario are now on the hook for. Ontario residents pay an additional charge on their electriticy bills towards these nuclear cost overruns. Do you want to end up on the hook for Bruce Power's mistakes?

Nuclear will not create long term jobs, and nuclear will not help us fight climate change, especially when the electricity generated from the proposed nuclear power plant in Northern Saskatchewan would be used to power the tar sands (the world's dirtiest oil).

What will help our economy? Renewable energy technologies and energy conservation would create far more jobs than power generation from nuclear or coal would. People of Saskachewan, do you honestly feel safe investing billions of dollars into nuclear power when renewables would cost half as much as nuclear and would generate many more jobs (and jobs that would actually last)? Nuclear is an economic risk that I am not willing to take, especially in the midst of an economic recession.

Solutions: The first step is to invest in energy conservation technologies coupled with programs designed to make these technologies affordable for everyone in this province. If we make climate change solutions available only to those that can afford to pay, we won't get anywhere. Next, we go fully renewable. But this will only work if we invest proper money into a renewable grid instead of spending billions on making our grid nuclear ready. Energy conservation and renewable energy technologies are rapidly progressing as billions of dollars from China and the U.S. flow into the 'New Green Economy'. Canada is behind the times. We are definitely not stepping up to our place as world leaders when it comes to fighting climate change. We are holding the global community back with intensity based targets for greenhouse gas emissions. Think about it. This nuclear power plant would be built to provide power to the tar sands and to export power to the U.S. (and possibly Manitoba). The people of Saskatchewan do not need this power, we would just be footing the bill for infrastructure, upgrades to the grid, and who knows what else (because the SK Government won't be transparent with us).

Besides, their is only enough uranium left domestically to provide approx. 45 more years of nuclear power generation at the CURRENT rate of consumption, yet nuclear waste stays toxic for a million years, and no one has ever been able to figure out a safe way to store it.

Let's start the renewable energy discussion Saskatchewan! Let's democratize our energy and agriculture sectors.

Peace,

Larissa