James Scongack, Executive Vice President, Operational Services & Chief Development Officer at Bruce Power, joined the Hon. Lisa Raitt to discuss the company’s role in the nuclear power industry’s decarbonization, alternative uses of nuclear and the resurgence of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) on ‘The Raitt Stuff’.
Scongack, a guest on the ‘The Raitt Stuff’, discussed Canada’s leadership role in Medical Isotopes, Net Zero and Nuclear energy. As Chief Development Officer, he leads Bruce Power’s medical isotope business, net zero initiatives, power trading, business development and indigenous/community economic partnerships.
Born and raised in Port Elgin, Scongack has been with Bruce Power for 18 years. “We are the largest operating nuclear facility in the world and Canada should be proud of that.”
He is Chair of the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council and Paediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO), is a Board Member on the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada and also serves on the Board of LifeLabs, Canada’s largest provider of medical laboratory services.
“Over 90 per cent of our spending remains in Ontario and Bruce Power is in a rural area that is called the Energy Frontier,” said Scongack. “More and more, nuclear is becoming recognized as part of decarbonization for the planet and is part of achieving net zero energy.”
When it comes to alternate production, Scongack explained that, “Medical isotopes can be produced only in two ways, through a cyclotron and through nuclear energy, and isotopes produced through nuclear reactors as a by-product can fill the gap for medical sterilizing,” Canada is a leader in isotope production. We provide the capability of medical sterilizing for 40 percent of medical equipment the world over.”
When it comes to nuclear waste, Scongack pointed out that it is a political issue. “Waste control discussion is frustrating and is a political dilemma. When it comes to solar energy, solar panels have chemical waste, so no technology is perfect. However, we need a depository for a permanent solution for nuclear waste. A lot of counties have already figured out the solution like France, Finland and Sweden. Technology is not the issue, it’s political.”
To listen to Scongack’s dialogue on ‘The Raitt Stuff’, click the link below.
https://cibccm.com/en/insights/podcasts/nuclear-beyond-power-medical-isotopes/
