Mandryk: Regardless of SMR speak, Sask. Get together gov’t coy on shuttering coal

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Our transition from the coal age to the nuclear age stays a moderately sluggish one — maybe slowed by present-day politicking.

SaskPower and Crown Funding Company (CIC) Minister Dustin Duncan provided the blaring headline Monday that “Saskatchewan faucets into 40 years of nuclear business experience and expertise” by SaskPower and the Saskatchewan Analysis Council (SRC) becoming a member of the CANDU House owners Group —— COG’s first new members in additional than 20 years.

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In fact, becoming a member of COG to “acquire entry to analysis, technical workshops and peer teams targeted on environmental and regulatory affairs, nuclear security” isn’t precisely an earth-shattering improvement on the lengthy and winding street to constructing these expensive small modular reactors (SMRs).

However perhaps give the Saskatchewan Get together authorities credit score for its cautious, can-do perspective in its transition from coal-fired electrical energy that pumps out greenhouse fuel emissions (GHGs). Albeit a child step, it clearly is a step towards transitioning away from fossil fuels.

Or is it? It doesn’t appear to be the large leap we evidently want proper now.

The unlucky lesson from Alberta’s close to rolling blackout throughout one of many colder days this previous January is that our whole energy grid, which Alberta needed to faucet into final winter, wants large baseload energy sources past including extra photo voltaic and wind.

One would possibly see Monday’s announcement as a small step towards solidifying that costly dedication to SMRs. However let’s cease and hear fastidiously to the language:

“Leveraging nuclear experience and business expertise is a crucial a part of SaskPower’s SMR improvement work,” Duncan mentioned in a information launch Monday.

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“The perception supplied by different Canadian nuclear utilities and key worldwide nuclear organizations might be extremely useful forward of our resolution in 2029 whether or not to proceed with nuclear energy from SMRs.”

And there it’s — “our resolution in 2029 whether or not to proceed with nuclear energy from SMRs.”

Nicely, isn’t that dedication only a formality, given Monday’s “milestone” authorities SMR announcement?

One would hope so. However precisely how dedicated this authorities is to getting Saskatchewan’s electrical grid off coal appears very a lot depending on whom this authorities is addressing.

For instance, on the legislature final week, Impartial Saskatchewan United Get together chief Nadine Wilson — kicked out of the Sask. Get together caucus three years in the past over a squabble about her vaccine standing —  famous “internet zero decarbonizing transition of our vitality grid will price taxpayers upward of $57 billion” and SaskPower payments are nonetheless anticipated to extend by 175 per cent.

“I’d additionally wish to know if the Authorities of Saskatchewan goes to close down coal, and the way quickly?” Wilson requested final Thursday, describing abandoning coal as a “ridiculous plan.”

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“We’ll actually be trying to make sure that we are able to run coal so long as attainable,” Duncan responded within the legislature. “It’s unlucky {that a} Liberal-NDP coalition in Ottawa has gotten us thus far. We’re going to run it so long as we are able to.”

So long as we are able to? Gee, isn’t “as lengthy we are able to” till 2030? A Liberal-NDP coalition received us thus far? Wasn’t it former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper who was set to finish coal-fired electrical era on this nation?  Didn’t the Sask. Get together authorities help Harper’s coverage?

In fact, Wilson’s Sask. United Get together doubtless sees the southeast as its greatest probability for including seats. And Duncan is aware of Estevan-area voters are edgy over the coal shutdown. There’s at all times extra politicking within the legislature.

There was certain no discuss conserving coal going at Duncan’s Monday press convention with CANDU and SaskPower.

However as famous by NDP financial system critic Aleana Younger, your message shouldn’t alter based mostly on who’s within the room. It’s dangerous enterprise.

For instance, federal Pure Sources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson famous BHP Billiton is already elevating alarm bells that Saskatchewan’s coal-fired electrical era for the Jansen potash mine doesn’t meet its world inexperienced necessities.

Due to points like this, wouldn’t or not it’s good for the federal government to be constant in its plan to maneuver away from coal?

Generally it’s. However, relying on who’s asking, generally it isn’t.

Murray Mandryk is the political column for the Regina Chief-Submit and the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.

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