Hydro Quebec deals would lower our bills

RE: ONTARIO POWER PRICES

Hydro Quebec recently signed an agreement to supply Massachusetts with enough power to meet the needs of one million homes at price of 3 to 5.3 cents per kilowatthour. Hydro Quebec says it is still ready to make similar deals with Ontario and New York.

Meanwhile, Ontario plans to rebuild aging nuclear reactors at tremendous expense and is about to hold hearings on the safety of keeping the 47-year-old Pickering Nuclear Generating Station (surrounded by 2.2 million people) running for up to another 10 years or more. The estimated $12.8-billion rebuild of four reactors at Darlington will be done concurrently with a projected $13-billion overhaul of the Bruce nuclear generating station on Lake Huron. As you are aware these projects are rarely completed on time and on budget.

As a result, Ontario Power Generation has told the Ontario Energy Board that it will need to raise its price of nuclear power to 16.5 cents per kWh.

Hydro Quebec has already offered Ontario power at a great price (5 cents kWh) but apparently Ontario responded with the strange claim that the offer wasn’t competitive enough — despite it being less than one-third the cost of rebuilding and extending our aging nuclear facilities! Now, Quebec is making it clear it won’t wait forever for Ontario to make a deal.

Is there a politician out there who will champion a longterm deal with Hydro Quebec to significantly lower our electricity bills? If not, why not?

James F. Newman, Hamilton