Canadian nuclear plant spills tritium and hydrazine into Lake Ontario

The Toronto Star has reported that the Darlington nuclear power plant, site of 4 CANDU reactors, accidentally released over 50,000 gallons of water contaminated with radioactive tritium and toxic hydrazine into Lake Ontario. Predicatbly, the Ontario nuclear utility has downplayed any health risks. But documents on Beyond Nuclear's and NIRS' websites show that tritium, whether released into the environment "routinely" as part of daily operations, or accidentally via spills or leaks, cannot only cause cancer, but other maladies such as birth defects and genetic damage. For its part, hydrazine is so toxic that the U.S. military justified its shooting down of a listless satellite in order to prevent the toxin on board from reaching the Earth's surface, as reported by National Public Radio in early 2008.

Nuclear reactors too "expensive" for Saskatchewan

The Canadian province of Saskatchewan, a global leader in uranium mining, has ruled out nuclear reactors as an energy source - there are currently none in the province. Energy and Resources Minister Bill Boyd said Thursday: "I think we met with the same kind of general conclusion that was met with in Ontario that this would be a very expensive source."

No democracy at work in Alberta nuclear decision-making process

Denise Wilson of Grand Prairie, writing in the December 21, 2009 edition of the Edmonton Journal, reveals how undemocratic the public process has been in the province in determining whether or not to go forward with nuclear reactor construction. So far, Alberta remains nuclear-free.

Calgary Herald nails the right reasons to say 'no' to nuclear

Read the excellent December 13, 2009 editorial in the Calgary Herald spelling out the reasons to reject nuclear power in Alberta. A decision is expected in January.