For immediate release:
November 30, 2004

Coal fire closure commitment up in the air?
MPP’s Barrett and O’Toole continue to press government on energy front

Queen’s Park – Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant MPP Toby Barrett is anticipating at least one more broken promise following reports that the government is planning to leave the door open to the possibility of coal-fired energy in the future.

While the Ontario Liberals promised shut down Ontario’s coal fire plants – including the local Nanticoke facility and the 600 jobs it provides – by 2007, Barrett has long argued that the commitment is ‘hare-brained’. His reasons focus on the long-term availability of coal vs. natural gas, Ontario’s dependence on fossil fuel for over 25 per cent of energy supply, and the availability of clean-coal technology.

Today’s Windsor Star indicates that Energy Minister Dwight Duncan may have been listening.

According to the Windsor Star, “…the minister acknowledged that the giant coal stations can’t fall into disrepair because they are needed to keep the lights on.”

The Windsor Star quotes the Minister as stating that the plants, “will be closed, yes. But we may have something in backup for an emergency.”

The report goes on to indicate that, “his department is still investigating the future of ‘clean coal’ technology.”

Just last week, MPP Barrett was on the Finance Committee debating Bill 100 – which includes direction for the shut-down of coal-fire electricity – asking that the government consider just such innovative clean-coal technology.

“Both George W. Bush and John Kerry included clean-coal technology as a plank in their energy platforms – Bush calling for a$2 billion in vestment and Kerry planning for a $10 billion expenditure into the research and implementation of clean-coal technology,” Barrett reported to the Finance Committee. “With those kind of numbers being thrown around, it begs the question – what do they know that this government doesn’t?”

Barrett also warned the Finance Committee about the dangers of closing down a reliable and sustainable source of energy with only a two-year window to replace it.

“There is an overwhelming amount of proof to show that closing down coal energy will not ensure the ‘adequacy, safety, sustainability and reliability of electricity supply’ as called for in the direction of Bill 100,” Barrett stated. “Ontario’s coal-fuelled plants supply more than a quarter of our electricity – so if the members opposite carry through with their wrong-headed coal closure plans by 2007, we have only two years to replace 25 per cent of our energy supply.”

When questioned in the Legislature on his coal-fired flip flop by Durham MPP and Opposition Energy Critic John O’Toole, the Minister would neither confirm nor deny except to say that, “government is committed to improving the quality of air in this province by reducing and eliminating the emissions associated with coal.”