Don't fear Manitoba nuclear plant: Pinawa mayor

Issues that Japan faces with nuclear facilities after a devastating earthquake haven't diminished the enthusiasm some in Manitoba have for the powersystem.

Former Pinawa Mayor Leonard Simpson and currentMayor Blair Skinnersaythey still want to see the town northeast of Winnipegat the forefront of atomic energy-generation.

Pinawa is home to a decommissioned atomic laboratory.

Simpson saidhe made a pitch last week to the provincial government about reinvesting in the technology. He and Skinner want Manitoba Hydro to invest in a private company to run a power generation plant in Pinawa.

He told CBC News there's no reason to worry that what's happened in Japan could happen here.

On Monday, Japanese officials declared states of emergency at six reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant.

Japan was hit lastFriday by an 9.0 magnitude earthquake centred offshore and a resultant tsunami.

The U.S. Geological Surveyon Monday night updated the magnitude of thequake in northern Honshu from the previous estimate of 8.9.

Independently, Japanese seismologists have also updated their estimate of the earthquakes magnitude to 9.0. This magnitude places the earthquake as the fourth largest in the world since 1900 and the largest in Japan since modern instrumental recordings began 130 years ago.

The main cooling systems and backup generators at the Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors were knocked out by the twin disasters. But there's no danger of a similar natural event contributing to potential calamity in Manitoba, Simpson said.

"We don't get [large] earthquakes around here, that's the first thing. Second thing is we don't get tsunamis coming out of Lake of the Woods, washing our towns away. It's not the same thing," Simpson said.