Yellowknife (Oct 29/03) - A spokesman for the world's largest producer of uranium came to Yellowknife, Oct. 27, to speak on the positive aspects of nuclear power.

Chuck Edwards, a spokesman of Saskatoon-based Cameco, told about 20 people present for his pitch, that it's just a matter of time before the nuclear power option is put back on the table.

"To prevent a build up of CO2 (carbon dioxide) there needs to be a massive movement away for the use of fossil fuels," said Edwards.

He argued that nuclear development is one of the cleanest methods to generate electricity and downplayed alternative sources of energy.

While not directly pointing the finger at fossil fuels for global climate change, Edwards said that levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are one -third higher than at the start of the industrial revolution.

"If we meet with compliance on Kyoto we'll have to reduce CO2 emissions by 35 per cent," said Edwards.

"If our past behaviour is any indicator our progress toward Kyoto may simply be non-compliance," said Edwards.

Fuel cells are the new energy hope on the horizon, Edwards said, and argued that the best way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to charge them with electricity generated by nuclear power stations.

Most of the electricity distributed by the NWT Power Corp. comes from hydro, but diesel is used in small,isolated communities at mines, said Peter Watt, spokesman for the Power Corp.

"All our communities are independent. Are they going to set up nuclear power plants in all the little communities we serve now?" Watt said.