ListNook

mrg1957 6 days ago +98

Only 300 million for a nuclear power plant? You can't build 30% of a ballroom with that pittance.

98

Nextasy 6 days ago +17

We already cut all the gold plating from the plant, it was sadly the very first thing to get value-engineered out. Ridiculous, I don't know how they expect the plant to operate without it. We could have at least kept some in the lunchrooms.

17

jovin49 5 days ago +2

Ugh, can we even build anything in this country anymore?

2

wavesofdeath 6 days ago +18

Will be way more than that - that’s just what the provincial government is helping with. There will be federal funding, private investment, etc

18

fiat_sux4 6 days ago +6

Same cost as an outdoor swimmng pool in Vancouver: https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/05/04/survival-kitsilano-pool-could-cost-300-million/

6

DeadFor7Years 6 days ago +4

We have a tonne of expertise when it comes to building and maintaining energy infrastructure, particularly nuclear.

4

Manitobancanuck 5 days ago +1

I would say particularly hydro-electric in most of Canada. But Ontario is pretty good at nuclear.

1

Peripatetictyl 5 days ago +1

Didn’t Votgle’s newest reactors run ~$36B, including corruption?

1

Heavenfall 6 days ago +16

300M would just be adding more reactor(s) to existing plant. You wouldn't build from scratch the largest one in the world for just 300M. The current largest plant cost 17 billion in adjusted dollars for all its reactors Edit: some more googling and 300M is just framework cost. Real cost estimate at tens of billions of cad .

16

Umikaloo 6 days ago +20

I personally trust that the Canadian government will do this right, but I'm far from an unbiased person when it comes to nuclear energy. The Bruce Power nuclear plant in Ontario is known for having a very good security team, to the point where they won the US SWAT championships 4 times between 2008 and 2011. I've heard concerns about a nuclear plant raising the average temperature in the waters surrounding the plant though. I hope that that won't be a significant enough impact to affect the local wildlife. Lake Ontario feeds the Saint Lawrence river, which is a huge tourism hub and trade artery. It would be devastating if anything were to happen to it.

20

Lantec 6 days ago +19

An added benefit too with Canadian CANDU reactors is, they use natural uranium compared to other nuclear reactors in the world that use enriched uranium. Saskatchewan has its own natural uranium deposits without relying on countries to enrich uranium. Enriching uranium is pricey to set up and has its own security issues too.

19

thefriedgoat 6 days ago +14

It looks to be part of the Bruce plant - on Lake Huron, not Lake Ontario.

14

Umikaloo 6 days ago +9

I am a fool, I forgot about Lake Huron.

9

Used_Raccoon6789 5 days ago +3

All thermal generating stations do this. But they have very strict limits as to how much they are allowed to raise the temperatures of surrounding areas in relation to upstream flow. If I recall correctly if they must run beyond this they must get permission from other government agencies.

3

rackfloor 23 hr ago +1

The issue in Lake Huron is the mussels, if anything a temp adjustment like this appears to provide some this some relief to fish. https://youtu.be/O4MnDNtuWGg?si=83CcCriCZ6O_dQFY

1

NapsInNaples 5 days ago

>known for having a very good security team Mmm. Yes. Of all the reactor failures that have happened poor security has been a factor in all of them right?

0

Umikaloo 5 days ago +4

I know security isn't the only dimension to nuclear safety, but I would prefer if my country's nuclear industry were not vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

4

NapsInNaples 2 days ago +1

let me try and make an analogy for you... You: "I trust Ford to make good cars. The Pinto has the strongest wheel bolts of any car. They win awards!" Me: "I don't think the wheel bolts are the critical safety problem on the Pinto." you: "well listen, I know wheel bolts aren't the only component, but I like my car's wheels to stay attached." The Pinto catches f****** fire because it's fuel tank was hugely vulnerable to damage from even minor impacts--your wheels can stay attached and you'll still die in a fire. And terrorist attacks at nuke plants don't matter much if natural disasters, component failure, or operator incompetence can cause a meltdown.

1

Umikaloo 20 hr ago

The thing about safety and security is that nobody talks about all the times nothing happened; We only bring it up when there is a failure somewhere. I mentionned the security team because there was something noteworthy to say about them.

0

JackOSevens 6 days ago -7

What do swat competitions have to do with good security? I get what you're saying (environmental concerns especially) but good security is just diligence, updated procedures and consistent oversight. You don't need super commandos.

-7

flight_recorder 6 days ago +11

Super commandos would be needed if a very large and well funded entity decided to f*** with the reactors. Thats the sort of risk that you do not want to assume will never happen because there is no ramping up security to deal with it. You have the security that you have and if they are only some patrol guards then you are very, VERY vulnerable.

11

JackOSevens 5 days ago +1

What is the danger to reactors being "fucked with" in the western world that you see being solved currently by swat competition skills?

1

flight_recorder 5 days ago +1

You have the wrong perspective about this. These guards don’t exist because there is currently a risk. They exist because if a risk does materialize, it would take too long to set up guards good enough to handle the risk. You need that capability all the time.

1

Conscious_Candle2598 6 days ago +10

the only good thing Doug Ford has done.

10

Chilkoot 6 days ago +2

Don't worry, the money you pay for the fancy new electricity will definitely find its way into his friends' pockets. You and I will pay for the plant to be built, and party donor/family friends will enjoy the fruits of the billing cycle.

2

slingbladde 5 days ago +1

Lots of wealthy families created from govt contracts and associations, our grand kids will be paying for it, while their generational wealth increases..rinse and repeat in good ole Canada..

1

jovin49 5 days ago +1

Probably, but better energy security *should* make prices lower for both businesse and people.

1

karlnite 5 days ago

Bruce Power is a private company, and its profit structure and costs are controlled by the IESO contract. [https://www.brucepower.com/who-we-are/delivering-transparency-and-trust/](https://www.brucepower.com/who-we-are/delivering-transparency-and-trust/) you actually get energy tax credits from them.

0

Chilkoot 5 days ago +1

> Bruce Power is a private company Are they paying for the plant to be built?

1

karlnite 5 days ago +1

Most of it yes.

1

Tartooth 5 days ago +1

Didn't the Tories end the last nuclear deal? F*** I can't remember they've all been shit provincial leaders

1

Indigoh 6 days ago +2

300M seems incredibly c**** considering Trump's *ballroom* was quoted at 100 million more, and is now pushing 1B. God, everything is a mess.

2

Internal-Yak6260 5 days ago

Does every thought you have involve trump.? This article has nothing to do with him, why are you so hung up on the guy.?

0

Indigoh 5 days ago +1

This came to mind because $300M is far less than I would expect a nuclear power plant to cost, and it's relatively close to another number that's in the news every day: the cost of Trump's ballroom. The ballroom's price puts the price of this nuclear power plant in perspective. Either it's ridiculously cheaper than it ought to be, or the ballroom is ridiculously overpriced. Other comments have clarified: this $300M is only part of the price of the plant.

1

Dragonfruit_6104 5 days ago +1

Essentially, the next phase of the project will be carried out on the basis of the Bruce Nuclear Power Plant, and then combined with the existing nuclear power plants, it will become the largest nuclear power complex in the world. But in nuclear power, the world's largest is not something to be proud of. Because you have too many units in a nuclear power plant site, it will lead to excessive load on the single-point power grid, excessive requirements for cooling water and damage to the local hydrological environment. The reason for choosing to insert too many units at a single point is that the power grid transmission capacity is not ideal for long range transmission, or the approval process for new sites is too long. It is ideal for a nuclear power plant to generate 8 gigawatts to 10 gigawatts of power with 4 to 5 units.

1

drivermcgyver 6 days ago -2

300mil for electricy for Hundreds of Thousands of homes. Priceless. Go nuclear!

-2

mixxituk 5 days ago -1

sounds like one giant target for an enemy

-1

World’s largest nuclear facility could be built in Ontario with new $300M deal

💬 Send a Message

37 Comments