Between You and Me -.4 & 'J.., By RUTH CO LES Another chat about energy, one of the moet talked about topics of the day. Little understood by many but well com- prehended by those who study the subject. Today committees and -.Rtudies are the "ini thig." Little it seems can be undertaken in relation to anything in the market place wlthout one or the other and often both. They are very time consuming and very expansive. Expansive by the delays which are created and because of increasing costa due to the lnflatlonary spiral. However, in recent years in Ontario, particulary s0 since the reorganization of Ontario Hydro from a commission to a cor- poration more and more hearlngs and reports are demanded. These hearings have resulted fromn public demand and various envirownental agencies. We mentioned building and planning of power stations last week, long range planning. Hand-ln-hand with this must go the developmnent and planning of the transmission system to distribute the power to the load areas; the areas were the need exists. This Is done by hlgh voltage transmission limes. These lines are designed and routed to provide the most economical and efficient system. Transmission lines are less disastrous to the environment that the ribbons of dual highways which crisscross the provin- ce with hundreds of thousands of vehciles poluting the air with their exhaust systems. The highways In particular do nothing to enhance the beauty of the countryside. For that matter neither do the transmission limes or the towers but why do people focus on one and not the other? If I had a choice I would choose the limes any day. Transmission limes corridors are chosen to have minimal effect on the lan- dscape and land use. Sometimes the clearing of the righ of ways makes more land available for agricultural and recreational purposes. Some people fear that these lines provide an additional hazard during thunder storms. Not so. Steel tower limes are provided with very adequate lightning protection which is necessary to protect the power lines from strikes during stor- ms. Rather than being more hazardous it might even be said it is less so in the immediate vincity of the towers. The siting of a generating station is determined by many factors such as: ground bearing conditions, water supplies and accessibility for the transport of plant. "Plant" which means large and heavy items, anything which is needed for the building of a station. The location must also be determined by the ability to transmit the generatedpower over.the most WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, SEPT EMB3ER 24, 1980, PAGE 15 Mnore about the energy mn oui' lives economical routes to the major load centre as weil as being integrated into a large and somewhat complex power grid. What is a large, complex power grid? It is a system which interconnects ail the major generating plants not only in the Province of Ontario but in adjoing provinces and states in the U.S. Such a grid allows the maximumn use of the most efficient generating stations. A grid is like a huge spider web which covers a large percentage of the populated part of the country including adjacent states. - The ability to transmit large blocks of power over such a system reduces the need of a greater number of costly generating stations. One might ask why is there a need to have such large stations and what has this to do with the cost 0f energy? Large electrical generators can produce electrical energy at lower costs par kilowat hour than smailer units. Capital costs of a nuclear generating station are higher than that of a fossil fuel station. But, because of sky rocketing prices of fossil fuels the overaîl cost per unit of electricity generated by a nuclear power station is cheaper. Burning of fossil fuels is becoming increasingly expansive with no end ini sight. At the moment there are no clear answers. In Ontario, there are no deposits of oil, no natural gas and little coal. Uranium the fuel used in the nuclear power station is a Canadian resource whereas the coal used in the fossil fuel plants or stations is imnported in huge quantities from the U.S. Nuclear power is a relatively cheap power by to day's stan- dards. Solar, wind and biomass are being looked into very carefully but are far from being an answer at this time. As to safety with all the built in safe guards, we in Ontario have an excellent record; a proved safety record. Our reactors, the Candu, are said to be the best in the world. We must realize that safety cannot be guaranteed in any sphere of oparation. There have been many lives lost in coal mines and probably in oil fields too. The number of lives lost in number may be relative. Nuclear power is a post-World War Ii development and as such is not yet fully understood by many and this creates fear. This, of course happens when anything is introduced such as the pasteurization of milk. To some this was a horror to be Public auction The Regional Municipality of Durham will be holding it's sixth Annual public auc- tictn on Saturday September 27,1980. The auction wiil be held indoors at the Ajax Depot located at Regional Road 4 (Taunton Road west) and Saleir Road, R.R. 1 Pickering.. The auction is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. Satur- day morning and a preview showing of the equipment for sale will be held Friday September 26 between 4 p.m. and 8p.m. feared as the plague. None of us like to see Hydro rates escalatlng but Hydro is not protected from inflation either. Therefore, one goes wlth the othier. inflation and high costs. ~O00 I~ Also the famous KRDDLVE M Ventilated Auminum wnlnge rni~I'728-1633 ALUMINUM LIMITED an 945FAREWELL AVE.,* Proven Service Since 1949 OSHAWA ELECTRICENTRE 3.DAYS ON L Thursday, Friday, Saturday, September 25,26,27 10% FF Everything In The Store Fixtures do-lt-yourself wlring supplies, and lamp parts. FREE circuit tester with everyj purchase FREE DRAW W IN: . A tool pouch with ol *Enough wiring materials to do a 12 x 20 rec room, including 3 -10" square recessed fixtures & dimmer switch (no purchaSe necessary) 233 Brock St. S., Whitby (in old liquor store) 666m2350 , REGIONAL -DODDMUNICIPALITY DURAM0F DURHAM- PUBLIC N'OTICE Take notice that the Regional Municipality of Durham Is consIdering AN APPLICATION TO AMEND THE DURHAM REGIONAL OFFICE PLAN AND THE OFFICIAL PLAN FOR THE FORMER PLANNING AREA 0F THE TOWN 0F WHITBY In order to assist In the evaluation of the amendment application, the public Is invited to provide Input by way of submissions to the Region's Planning Department. The amendment application proposes to identif y the Hamiet of BrooklIn as a Small Urban Area and to designate land uses to support a population of 10,000 with the area indicàted on the map beiow. il 0Y 25 24LT 23L«O2 D2,£I1LOT 2O, Inforatio reited o th amedmendapplcatin s vaibleON.th fIce ftePann Dearmet 15 osuer rieWityOtalo iN6AorbycllngM. aryKosef Snfomisonerning tothe amendrent application ust lbe i ordeofthePCommioner of Planning at the above-noted address, and must be received no later than Friday, Novemnber 28,1980. R. Rose Dr. M. Michael, M.C.l.P. Chairman, Planning Committee Commissioner of Planning