The Yorkton candidate for the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan says he may take SaskPower to court for failing to disclose requested documents on potential costs of a nuclear reactor, despite a ruling by the province’s information commissioner.Tim Kasprick formally asked SaskPower on September 12, 2023 for “Plans to build nuclear reactors in Estevan, including cost, name of company, supplying/building the reactors and timeline." The timeframe was for records from January 1 to September 11, 2023.SaskPower wrote Kasprick November 8, 2023 to say the 1,008 pages of records would be withheld in full, citing various provisions of the act. On November 9, 2023 Kasprick asked Commissioner Ronald J. Kruzeniski, K.C. to review the act.On July 22, 2024, Kruzeniski ruled SaskTel had not met the “burden of proof” required by the provisions of the relevant legislation it used to refuse disclosure of the documents, which numbered 1,008 pages. He said the decision reflected the pattern of a “shotgun” approach by the Crown corporation, on the commissioner addressed in previous reports, where fully redacted records that could have been disclosed at least in part.Thursday was the deadline for SaskPower to inform both Kruzeniski and Kasprick of the company's compliance. Kasprick told the Western Standard Friday that SaskPower only said its response would be “late”.Kasprick, who retired from the Saskatchewan Health Authority after a career as an Access to Information officer, called the response “pathetic.”“It takes the Commissioner’s office months to prepare a report which also gives SaskPower months to prepare. In this review, the Commissioner rejected nearly all their arguments so they are stiffing the Commissioner on their response to his report,” Kasprick said.The “takeaway” for Kasprick was that “SaskPower does not want the cost of nuclear reactors released, especially during election season.” The Western Standard reached out to SaskPower for comment but did not receive any before publication time..Sask Research Council and Atomic Energy of Canada partner on nuclear research.Kasprick added, “This lack of response can also serve as a roadblock to me taking them to court as there is a 30 day deadline to file a court case if they disregard the Commissioner’s Review Report recommendations. However, I believe I can avoid this roadblock by suing them based on their lack of response.”Kasprick has pursued legal action against SaskPower already over an information request he made in April 2023. He asked for a 16-page record regarding a replacement of six miles of single phase power lines with three phase power lines at the request of one corporation. SaskPower refused disclosure on the contract, but the information commissioner subsequently agreed it should be made.SaskPower and Kasprick have made submissions to the Court of King’s Bench and a hearing is expected in early September.Kasprick also shared some “fun facts” he discovered at a SaskPower open house in June on the Crown’s plans for small nuclear reactors (SMRs). SaskPower is looking at two sites near Estevan to have the facility. A site will be chosen in 2025 and a final investment decision made in 2029.“SMRs cannot burn Saskatchewan uranium, unlike Candu reactors that can be powered by Saskatchewan uranium. SMRs require enriched uranium so Saskatchewan would have to import uranium from other countries and France was mentioned as a possible supplier,” Kasprick said.Kasprick said the Estevan SMR would probably end up storing nuclear waste onsite.“There is no permanent nuclear waste site in Canada and there is currently 60 years of nuclear waste being stored on site at active reactors in Canada,” Kasprick said.Even if Ottawa, which has jurisdiction, did set up a facility, waste from a new facility near Estevan would be last in the cue for transfer.“And of course when I asked them how much an SMR will cost the answer was, ‘We can't tell you that,’” Kasprick added.
