Ontario Allocates Funding for Community Consultation on Lambton Nuclear Power Proposal

The Government of Ontario will invest CAD 500,000 to conduct further consultation with the Corunna community in Lambton County, southwestern Ontario, regarding a new power generation project. The project is proposed for the site of the decommissioned Lambton coal-fired power station, where future energy options will be compared and discussed between nuclear and natural gas.

Under the arrangement, these funds will support local municipalities, Indigenous communities, and affected residents in participating in the consultation. Ontario Energy Minister Stephen Lecce stated that the province favors the development of clean energy and high-output power generation projects, but the final direction will depend on the input of taxpayers, local governments, and Indigenous communities.

The Lambton coal-fired power station was shut down in 2013, resulting in nearly 400 job losses at the time. Ontario hopes to utilize the approximately 485 hectares of land at the site, along with existing zoning conditions, transmission lines, and transportation connections, to shorten the construction timeline for new power generation facilities. If the proposed project is completed, it is expected to add 900 megawatts of electricity to the grid, enough to meet the demand of approximately 900,000 households.

Lecce noted that if a small modular nuclear facility is chosen, it could take up to ten years from construction to commissioning. At present, the specific technology pathway, investment costs, and employment scale of the project have not yet been determined.

Jeff Agar, Mayor of St. Clair Township, stated that revitalizing the power station site is one of his key priorities in office. The St. Clair Township Council has previously passed a motion supporting potential power generation projects, including nuclear energy. Lecce emphasized that the province will work with the local community to advance the discussions and will determine the project's next steps after local input is gathered.