Clean

Nuclear energy helps in the fight against global warming and smog

Did you know that Canada's nuclear electricity plants release virtually no emissions that cause climate change or smog?

This is very important for our planet, and our local environments. A significant amount of Canada's electricity is produced by generating stations using coal, natural gas or oil. When these fossil fuels are burned they release carbon dioxide that contributes to climate change. Burning coal and oil also results in smog.

But when electricity is produced using nuclear reactors, there are no emissions of the gases that cause global warming or smog.

Nuclear reactors such as those at Bruce Power's nuclear site produce none of the gases that result in climate change, smog, or acid rain.

Avoided emissions

Here are some important facts: By using nuclear energy, we avoid the potential emission of about 90 million tonnes of greenhouse gases per year (if coal-fired power was used instead). This is equivalent to the greenhouse gases produced by 18 million vehicles - or about 12% of Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions.

Using nuclear power also means we avoid the emission of an additional 10% on top of our current emissions of smog-producing gases.

Nuclear energy is important to our health, and to the health of our planet.