Information Update From the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Information Updates - Comparison of Canadian CANDU Reactors to Japanese BWR Reactors

This article states, "In the even more unlikely event that EPS systems also become unavailable and all power is lost, all affected Canadian nuclear power reactors would safely shut down and stabilize using CANDU's convection cooling system design."

Exelon CEO ... Sees No Need to Encourage New Supply

Atomic Insights Blog: Exelon CEO Thinks Electricity is Cheap and Clean Enough Already - Sees No Need to Encourage New Supply

Here's a response to Exelon's CEO... and a good one.

Energy Policy: Above All, Do No Harm

The title is from a speech by John Rowe, Chairman & CEO of Exelon Corp, to the American Enterprise Institute

Some quotes from the speech Tom Adams referenced at his blog today (I suggest the entire speech is worth the short investment in time):

Neither new nuclear, coal with carbon capture and sequestration, wind nor solar
are economic.  They are not economic because of energy prices, an excess of
generating capacity and very low load growth. 

Fantastic Article at treehugger.com

For Saving Energy, Like Real Estate, The Three Most Important Things Are Location, Location and Location
By Lloyd Alter of the Ryerson School For Interior Design

I struggled through writing out a rant today, and in cleaning it up lost all the points I was making on the problems Orillia's previous city council encountered trying to maintain a vibrant downtown as the car culture continued to dominate.

Well, this treehugger article notes:

• Where you live is the most important determinant of how much gasoline you use;

It's Time ... For a New Television

That's all I got out of the Green Party of Canada's ad.

Earth Hour is Too Short - Bring on Climate Week

The Environment blog at the Guardian advises that, in Great Britain, "Climate Week is coming. If that means nothing to you, imagine a "supercharged national occasion that offers an annual renewal of our ambition and confidence to combat climate change"

It's a great story.  Climate Week has a big-time sponsor in RBS - which is apparently offending the, admittedly, easily offended because it's only been a little over 6 months since the Climate Day of Action opened with a protest of RBS and their complicity in funding the filthy black dirty oil.

The creator of Earth ... uhh ... Climate Week is quoted as defending RBS with:

"Looking specifically at RBS, the total portion of RBS loans which goes to the oil and gas industry makes up just 2.1% of their lending. And they have stated publicly that this percentage has been declining for the past three years. In fact their biggest single category of project finance is now wind technology."

No kidding.

Wind is the new black.

TheStar: What’s the return on $1 billion smart meter investment?

TheStar What’s the return on $1 billion smart meter investment?

The article could editorialize just a little.

Having the two payment options wouldn't drive up the cost of billing - it's a boolean entry on a computer (TOU or RPP).  But the reporter might want to investigate the IT spending that accompanied the $1 billion on the smart meters themselves

If Baghdad Bob was in Ontario, he'd work at The Toronto Star

TheStar Cohn: A sniff test for Ontario’s green politicians

Mr. Cohn begins, "With elections in the air, green groups are seeing red in Ontario"
Indeed - but the groups he refers to as green really aren't - and the red they are seeing is financial losses as their scam, and it's sugar daddy premier, are sent packing. Parker Gallant, and others at Wind Concerns Ontario (WCO), are keeping track of the few 'green' players, and tallying up the total gifted, from us, to the toadies in this 'green' grouping.

TheStar: Five steps to lower hydro bills — and votes

Andy Frame has contributed another article at The Toronto Star.  

I don't have a problem with any of his 5 suggestions - but suggestion #2 and #3 seem to be only accounting changes.

TheStar: Tories, Liberals clash over Caledonia hydro line

The article in The Toronto Star contains some fascinating logic from Minister Duguid.

Accusing the PC's of "trying to stir things up" in Caledonia by pointing out a $116 million transmission line has been held up - and parts of it laid down - since 2006.  Does he know it is 2011 - and that means it is 5 years after 2006?

According to the Star Duguid says the line isn't a priority because we don't need to import any power now due to increased self-sufficiency ... but "At a certain point in time we will want to build that line"
Planning on being less self-sufficient Minister?