Pickering councillors upset they're out of OPG loop
February 17, 2010
By Kristen Calis

PICKERING -- After speculations rang true that Ontario Power Generation plans to shut down its Pickering B plant in 10 years, council members shared their concerns on being left out of the loop.

"That was a severe breakdown in communication," said Ward 2 City Councillor Doug Dickerson at Tuesday night's council meeting, hours after the official news was made public.

At last week's executive committee meeting, Ward 1 City Councillor Jennifer O'Connell said she'd heard rumours that OPG may shut down its Pickering B operation in 10 years. Members of council said that was the first they'd heard of the plans.

The next day, the media ran articles on the rumours, but OPG officials remained tight-lipped.

Shortly after noon Feb. 16, OPG announced the rumours were in fact true and that operations at Pickering B station will come to a halt in a decade. It was also announced that OPG plans to refurbish its Darlington plant set to start in 2016.

"Today is an important day in OPG's life," Pat McNeil, OPG's senior vice-president of generation development, told council Tuesday night.

Mr. McNeil went on to explain the plant will remain in safe operation for the next 10 years, and will be followed by a safe storage period before the actual decommissioning of the site begins.

"Our commitment is to continue to invest in that facility, to make sure it's a top-notch facility over its remaining life," he said.

Some Pickering councillors felt they were overlooked when the community partner did not let Pickering, its host community, know before the news was leaked.

"I'm disappointed we weren't made aware as a council much sooner," Coun. Dickerson said.

Mr. McNeil said OPG was told by the Province it could not release information until Feb. 16, and he's unaware of how the
information was leaked.

Coun. Dickerson asked if there's a business plan in place, and what will replace the jobs at OPG once layoffs begin. OPG's Pickering plant currently employs 4,300 people.

Mayor Dave Ryan also said he's also looking for reassurance that a similar situation to Oshawa and the layoffs at General Motors won't happen to Pickering.

Mr. McNeil said he doesn't expect a significant drop in staff until after the safe storage period. Also, labour will be added to help decommission the plant, he said. Plus, OPG is currently in negotiations for more office space in Pickering.

Coun. O'Connell asked Mr. McNeil if OPG will in fact hold true to leasing space in Pickering, or if it's looking for more space in Clarington due to Darlington's refurbishment.

"I can tell you we've been in conversations for office space (in Pickering) and we're close to acquiring them," Mr. McNeil said.

When Coun. O'Connell asked what will replace power in Pickering, Mr. McNeil said that's for the Ontario Power Authority to decide as OPG's mainly responsible for operating a safe facility.

She asked if there are discussions to turn it into a centralized waste facility, and Mr. McNeil said he hasn't heard anything along those lines.

Mr. McNeil assured council that OPG plans to remain an active community partner with the City and heavily involved in community organizations, emphasizing that 60 per cent of OPG's employees are actively involved in the community.

"That level of commitment isn't going anywhere," he said. "We're citizens of Pickering, we're citizens of Durham Region."

He added since Pickering B will be operating for the next 10 years, there will be plenty of time to lay out all the issues. He assured council the environmental assessment that is needed to look at the plant's decommission will be done in an open and transparent manner.