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Joint U.S.-Alberta nuke research planned
The use of nuclear energy technology to power Alberta’s oil sands will be one of the options on the table in a new research partnership by the U.S. and Alberta governments.
Idaho National Laboratory, operated for the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Alberta Research Council, an R&D agency funded by the government, will collaborate on a project to “help guide industry and policy-makers through the maze of energy technology alternatives.”
An advisory report will be developed to cover various aspects of applying nuclear energy for electrical generation in Alberta, including a role in oil sands development.
There will be a special emphasis on the environmental impact, industrial integration and cost-effectiveness, a joint release said March 28.
Alberta Energy Minister Mel Knight said his government needs “reliable and clear information on all of the available energy options” as it tackles a rapid growth in electricity demand
ARC Energy Vice President Ian Potter said the memorandum of understanding between the two agencies is consistent with his council’s efforts to form “strategic relationships with other credible agencies to benefit Albertans.”
Research agenda by fall He said INL offers “mutually beneficial expertise” that is critical to the “orderly assessment and development of Alberta’s natural resources.”
Potter said he is confident the joint effort will yield solid information on energy options to industry, the public and policy-makers.
He said a research agenda should be agreed on by early fall.
The issues to be probed include the use of nuclear power to generate steam for thermal-recovery oil sands production and the production of hydrogen and oxygen for use in bitumen upgraders.
INL associated director Bill Rogers told the Edmonton Journal the U.S.is dependent on Alberta for its energy security and views the province as a reliable, stable supplier at a time of “nationalization of resources” in countries that are hostile to the U.S.
The research undertaking is another hint that the Alberta government, despite its ambivalence in the past, is now keeping an open mind on the use of nuclear power.
—Gary Park
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