Long live the Pickering plant
Also: Cost and consequences of Bill 124, heated in Hamilton, putting math proficiency to the test, and more
ABOVE THE FOLD
The budget watchdog lays out the cost and consequences of the Ford government’s much-maligned wage-capping legislation, Bill 124 — but first, the Pickering nuclear plant could be sticking around for a little longer.
LONG LIVE THE PICKERING PLANT — The Ford government wants to extend the life of the Pickering nuclear power plant for an extra year — keeping it online until September 2026 — amid a power supply “crunch.”
Two government sources confirmed to me that Energy Minister TODD SMITH will make it official this morning, while also launching a study — via Ontario Power Generation — into whether they should spend billions more to refurbish four of six working reactors at the aging facility.
Early estimates suggest it could take 10 years and $10 billion to keep the plant alive, and providing about 14 per cent of the province’s electricity.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission still needs to approve the new timeline.
Smith makes it official at 10 a.m.
COST OF B…