To Whom It May Concern,
I must express my deep disappointment over council's vote in opposition of a spent nuclear fuel repository in Northwestern Ontario. Not only is our region the safest location for such a facility, but this also presents the greatest economic opportunity our region has seen in decades. Perhaps ever.
SAFETY
By now most people should be familiar with Finland's spent nuclear fuel repository in Onkala. As the Canadian facility will follow the Onkala model, it is apparent that such a facility is the best way to store spent nuclear fuel. Any spent fuel will be placed hundreds of meters below ground, far below the water table, where it will be encased in solid granite and concrete. But why build up here? Well, it's basic geology. The Canadian Shield is one of the oldest landmasses on earth and is incredibly stable. After all, it would make little sense to build such a facility in an area that is even somewhat seismically active. Further, the amount of spent fuel in each transport container is roughly the size of a softball. The rest is radiation shielding layers. These containers are also built to withstand being hit by a train moving at speed. The likelihood of a highway accident being a major event is slim to none.
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
The obvious bit of the economic opportunity portion of all of this is the billions upon billions that will be spent to build this facility. Clearly, Ignace is too small to handle this alone. Therefore, it is fair to assume that Thunder Bay would play a vital role as a base of operations for contractors and as a supply hub. However, beyond this, and far greater than the obvious bit, is the potential for spent fuel to be used as fuel in the future. Nuclear fuel can be recycled and reused, even with today's technology. With future advancements in recycling technology, this could become a more affordable fuel source than virgin enriched plutonium fuel rods. This means the repository could become a recycling depot and supplier of fuel, with Lakehead University at the forefront of such research and technology.
Nuclear is the only non carbon emitting energy source which can produce vast amounts of energy and do so reliably, rain or shine, wind or no wind, low or high water levels. Powering our current economy, let alone meeting our future energy needs with wind and solar at the core of energy production is wishful thinking. We need an all of the above approach to energy production. This is why we need to embrace nuclear.
NEW TECHNOLOGY TO SAVE THE PLANET
As I am writing this, a German-Canadian conglomerate is building a proof of concept "Dual Fluid Reactor" in Rwanda, which will go online in 2026. This new reactor type uses liquid fuel and is projected to yield vastly greater energy output than current nuclear reactors. In addition, a Dual Fluid Reactor would not just produce electricity, but also hydrogen and synthetic fuels. In other words, it's a game changer. There is no cleaner or more efficient way of running a vehicle than hydrogen. If hydrogen could be produced at scale and affordable prices, there won't be internal combustion engines or electric vehicles with their many limitations and huge production carbon footprint. The future is nuclear. Anyone who truly cares about the climate must support nuclear. The question is whether we want to be on the outside looking in or get in on the ground floor.
This is why I would ask council to reconsider its opposition to a repository being built in our region. Instead, council should put forward its conditional support.
These conditions should improve highway improvements/twinning, nuclear research funding for LU and a promise to be included in economic opportunities arising from spent nuclear fuel recycling and nuclear technology advancements. This is our opportunity to build a thriving new economy here and help to virtually eliminate carbon emissions. The amount of good which can come from nuclear cannot be overstated. We could literally help save the planet.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mirco Walther, D.B.A.
