FORD’S FAILURES PUT ONTARIO’S ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IN JEOPARDY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KINGSTON, ON – Ted Hsu, MPP for Kingston and the Islands and the Ontario Liberal critic for Energy, has issued the following statement on the Ford government’s plan to seek a license extension on the commercial operations of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station:

“It’s extremely concerning for the people, services and businesses of Ontario to have the province’s medium-term energy plan depend on Canada’s Nuclear Energy Regulator approving the extension of commercial operations of Pickering Nuclear. It’s clear that Doug Ford failed to plan accordingly for the shutdown and is now scrambling with a Hail Mary pass to make up for his mistakes.

“This government will have had six years to build up our energy supply and ensure Ontario could meet electricity demand after the sequential shutdown of Pickering’s six nuclear reactors. Instead, in their first month on the job, Ford’s Conservatives cancelled over 750 renewable energy contracts while increasing the province’s reliance on gas-fired plants and the need to buy electricity from out-of-province.

“It’s always the same story with this government – only taking action after the crisis has already begun. Their negligence has put Ontario’s electricity supply in jeopardy and put Ontarians at risk of experiencing brownouts in the near future.

“The government must take immediate action to build up Ontario’s clean energy supply so that we can safely take Pickering Nuclear offline when the time is due.”