For Immediate Release
Oct. 7, 2005

Energy Probe report on coal a breath of fresh air

Simcoe – An Energy Probe report ranking North American coal-fired generating stations adds fuel to arguments against closing down Ontario’s fossil fuel producers in the face of high natural gas prices and escalating demand.

The report by the well-known energy and environmental watchdog ranks 403 coal-fired generating stations by the pollution they produce per unit of power. Two of the Lambton units rank in the top ten clean facilities. None of the Lambton units nor three other remaining coal-fired stations in the province -- Thunder Bay, Atikokan, and our Nanticoke facility -- are low in the rankings of coal polluters.

“This is further evidence that the McGuinty push to close down all coal-fired generation in Ontario is way off base,” said MPP Toby Barrett. “We need the power production from our coal facilities, and in a time of escalating natural gas prices and domestic demand, it’s just common sense that you don’t reduce provincial power supply.”

Energy Probe Director Tom Adams has changed his position on coal power in Ontario. In September, Mr. Adams said he, “admired the Premier's decision to close Ontario's four remaining coal-fired generation plans rather than gambling with "cleaner" coal,” he now has conceded that, ““from an environmental point of view, it makes no sense to shut them [coal-fired generators] down and import large amounts of dirtier coal-fired power from the U.S.”

“After years of trying to get this government to listen to the sobering reality of an Ontario energy future without coal, it is truly a breath of fresh air to hear that message beginning to make media headlines across the province,” said Barrett. “Now if only the government will pick up the paper!”

PC Leader John Tory has recently stepped forward to call for “financial analysis and environmental analysis” into clean-coal technology. That analysis would build on investments of the previous PC government into nitric oxide and sulphur dioxide emission control initiatives that maintain power supply while reducing impacts on the environment.

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