Minister @SeamusORegan announces today federal $ for SMR action plan. @cc_nb gets zero GHG is a heavy lift. All options must be on the table. But like fossil fuel based hydrogen, SMRs raise lifecycle concerns that @NB_Power and @mla_mike must acknowledge.

In addition to being unproven, SMRs risk delaying coal phaseout in the next 10 years on the promise of future technology and reductions. We don't have time. Coal phaseout must happen now: we need every tonne to avoid 1.5 degrees warming.

Add cost-effectiveness concerns to unproven and delay concerns and we start to wonder why SMRs are getting so much attention. Can SMRs compete with low-cost renewables and efficiency? Certainly not in the short-term.

Reductions in costs due to 'learning' through high production volumes are highly suspect. Canadian and regional demand are unlikely to be enough to stimulate this learning according to and global exports from NB are highly speculative.

The biggest concern I have is safety. New design features are supposed to reduce risk and re-use nuclear waste. This is unproven. Worse is the concern about the transport of nuclear waste everywhere and in formats that could easily fall into the wrong hands.