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Canada
CANADA
| First Nuclear Power Plant Opened: | Work on Canada's first nuclear power plant started in 1954. Ontario citizens were supplied nuclear-powered electricity for the first time in 1962. |
| Number and Types of Nuclear Power Plants: | Canada designed its own particular style of nuclear power reactor, called the CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) reactor. These reactors use natural uranium fuel and heavy water as both moderator and coolant. Currently, Canada has 17 of these reactors operating. |
| Percentage of National Energy From Nuclear Power: | 13% (Note: 50% of Ontario's electricity is provided by nuclear power). |
| Future Nuclear Power Plans: | Canada is considering, but yet undecided on, building more nuclear power plants. If it does, it would be the first time in 20 years that Canada constructs a new power plant. |
ANALYSIS / ISSUES
Nuclear energy provided a flashpoint for a federal-provincial rift between the central government of Canada and the New Brunswick government. Essentially, the NB government wanted federal help in refurbishing a nuclear power facility. Ottawa refused and the NB government was unhappy, saying the federal government led them to believe the financing (worth between $400 million and $600 million) was imminent.
This dispute is emblematic of a larger one within Canada - their CANDU plants were often touted as cheap ways to produce electricity but their construction often overran by very significant margins. They also last about half their expected life span - 20 years rather than 40 - and have to be refurbished at very high costs. This has led many to question the viability of nuclear energy. On the other hand, Canada has one of the highest per capita energy usages in the world, and their economy is heavily dependent on energy. Which direction they choose to move in- there is also considerable pressure to switch more and more to renewable energy sources, Canada being a signatory to Kyoto - is up in the air at this point.
Canada's Nuclear Power Plants
| Facility Name | Process | Status |
| Bruce - 1 | CANDU | Not operating |
| Bruce - 2 | CANDU | Not operating |
| Bruce - 3 | CANDU | Operating |
| Bruce - 4 | CANDU | Operating |
| Bruce - 5 | CANDU | Operating |
| Bruce - 6 | CANDU | Operating |
| Bruce - 7 | CANDU | Operating |
| Bruce - 8 | CANDU | Operating |
| Darlington - 1 | CANDU | Operating |
| Darlington - 2 | CANDU | Operating |
| Darlington - 3 | CANDU | Operating |
| Darlington -4 | CANDU | Operating |
| Douglas Point (Prototype) | CANDU | Shut Down |
| Gentilly - 1 (Demo) | CANDU (HWLWR) | Shut Down |
| Gentilly - 2 | CANDU | Operating |
| Pickering - 1 | CANDU | Not Operating |
| Pickering - 2 | CANDU | Not Operating |
| Pickering - 3 | CANDU | Not Operating |
| Pickering - 4 | CANDU | Operating |
| Pickering - 5 | CANDU | Operating |
| Pickering - 6 | CANDU | Operating |
| Pickering - 7 | CANDU | Operating |
| Pickering - 8 | CANDU | Operating |
| Point Lepreau | CANDU | Operating |
| Rolphton NPD (Demo) | CANDU | Shut Down |