Carbon-free energy generation in Canada is being fast-tracked following a government announcement that approval processes for nuclear power projects will be made quicker.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said that while the process to construct these facilities will be much faster, they will not be excluded from federal environmental reviews.
As Reuters reports, the province of Ontario specifically requested that this factor remain in the approval stages, but Wilkinson anticipates that legislative revisions to the Impact Assessment Act will be kept to a minimum to prevent time-consuming consultations.
It's clear that Canada is keen to bring nuclear projects to fruition as quickly as possible. Moving away from dirty fuel sources like coal, oil, and gas for energy generation is essential to reduce planet-warming pollution that exacerbates global heating.
This is a particular concern in Canada, which experienced some of the most devastating wildfires the country has ever seen in 2023. Rising temperatures lead to hotter, drier conditions that make wildfires more likely, so to prevent further mass-burning events occurring in years to come, cutting pollution as soon as possible will be important.
Nuclear energy does have its critics — with the Chernobyl disaster still in the minds of many and environmentalists worried about the possibility of toxic waste — but it is still seen as one of the most effective ways to meet rising energy demands without producing more pollution.
While solar and wind power are tried, tested, and safe, they depend on specific weather conditions to produce power efficiently. Meanwhile, solar generation isn't possible at night. Nuclear energy, however, can be produced all day, every day.
According to Reuters, Canada is the world's second-largest uranium producer, but regulatory processes have held up mining for it.
NexGen Energy, a uranium mining company, is hoping the government policy will help to reduce the waiting time to obtain this material and bring carbon-free power to Canadians faster.
"It's a very long process," NexGen CEO Leigh Curyer told Reuters, observing the delays the industry faces at the moment. "Government and industry working together to bring these projects online more expeditiously, that is absolutely key."
With Canada looking to achieve net-zero emissions for its electricity grid by 2035, and be fully net-zero by 2050, nuclear energy is seen as a way to make significant headway on those ambitions.
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