In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge highlights a couple of unique perspectives on the question of Alberta’s nuclear future. 

Alberta's premier has launched a new process to explore the possibility of adding nuclear capacity to Alberta's power mix. Between a growing population and expanding electrification, Alberta’s power demand is growing. But with the province’s ambition to be a hub for AI data centres - and with Ottawa’s Clean Electricity Regulations - Alberta needs to somehow balance a massive expansion to the power grid while also keeping emissions in check. That’s where nuclear energy could come in.

We’ll be joined by Scott Henuset, president and CEO of Energy Alberta - they’re hoping to build a standing nuclear power facility in northeastern Alberta. We’ll find out why they’re so optimistic about the potential for nuclear power in this province - and how they plan to overcome some of the resistance and concerns that still exist around this technology. 

Plus, we’ll hear from Dr. Duane Bratt, professor of political science at Mount Royal University. Part of his research focuses on Canadian nuclear policy and he also teaches on the science and politics around nuclear energy. We’ll look at the history around this conversation in Alberta and get his perspective on whether the government is really serious this time about jumping on the nuclear bandwagon.