Nuclear costly any way you cut it

Nuclear plants are not just costly to build, they are also expensive to operate. Put aside for a minute the billion dollar repair bills and take a look at the salaries of Ontario Power Generation’s employees released under Ontario’s “sunshine” law requiring public entities to report incomes over $100,000.

In 2008, approximately 57% of OPG employees made more than $100,000 (click here for the full list). Reading through the list of close to 7,000 employees making more than $100,000, you will quickly see that the majority are involved in the company’s nuclear operations. At the top of the list is OPG CEO Jim Hankinson, who made $2.475 million (that’s 17 times the annual budget of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance).

Nuclear’s bloated costs may be good for those working for OPG, but the rest of Ontario’s residents would be far better off if we replaced nuclear with lower-cost hydro imports from Quebec. Quebec has the power, but Ontario seems to be too busy preparing to write big blank cheques to nuclear companies to pursue the lowest cost options for the province’s consumers.

Please pass this message on to your friends.

Thank you.

Jessica Fracassi, Communications & Membership Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
402-625 Church St, Toronto M4Y 2G1
Phone: 416-926-1907 ext. 245
Fax: 416-926-1601
Email: jessica@cleanairalliance.org
Website: www.cleanairalliance.org
Website: www.OntariosGreenFuture.ca

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The Ontario Clean Air Alliance is a diverse, multi-stakeholder coalition of approximately 90 organizations including cities, health associations, environmental and public interest groups, corporations, public utilities, unions, faith communities and individuals. The OCAA’s short term goal is to achieve the complete phase out of Ontario’s four coal-fired power plants by 2010. Our long term goal is to ensure that all of our electricity needs are met by ecologically sustainable renewable sources. Our partner organizations represent more than six million Ontarians.

Interested in volunteering with the OCAA? Please contact Angela Bischoff at angela@cleanairalliance.org, 416-926-1907 ext. 246.

Sign our petition: http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/petition.php.

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