Liberals Should Cancel Darlington Rebuild After 400% Cost Overrun

(Queen’s Park) The Green Party of Ontario is calling on the Liberals to cancel rebuilding the outdated Darlington nuclear station.

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has already gone 400% over budget on just one component of the $13 billion rebuilding project. This is a clear sign this project to generate power the province doesn’t need should be cancelled.

“It’s time to scrap the needless and expensive nuclear rebuild scheme,” says GPO Leader Mike Schreiner. “Let’s invest in people’s homes and businesses to help them save money by saving energy.”

Global-TV reports auditors found “inappropriate oversight and failures in management at OPG are predominantly to blame” for the cost overruns.  These overruns come after repeated warnings from Schreiner that nuclear projects never come in on time or on budget.

“We cannot afford more huge increases in electricity prices. We can’t afford to pay for a massive nuclear scheme that was too expensive before the inevitable cost overruns,” says Schreiner. “I am deeply concerned that a 400% cost overrun at the Darlington nuclear plant is just the beginning of financial problems with the project.”

Even without the cost overruns at Darlington’s Heavy Water Storage and Drum Handling Facility, OPG estimated it would have to double the cost of electricity. Schreiner has called on the Liberals to say no to the 180% price increase OPG requested to rebuild Darlington and keep Pickering running past its best before date.

The expensive rebuild makes even less sense when you consider the province is already paying neighbouring jurisdictions to take our excess electricity. Ontario can’t afford to risk billions of dollars to generate even more power we don’t need.

“I”m going to keep fighting for the people of Ontario by saying no to doubling or tripling the price they pay for electricity,” pledges Schreiner. “This is absolutely the worst energy and economic policy a government could propose. And the status quo opposition at Queen’s Park is failing to hold the government accountable on it.”

The GPO is on a mission to bring honesty, integrity and policies that work for people to Queen’s Park.

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