TORONTO - Ontario is asking for the public's input on its long-term energy plan, but environmentalists were dismayed Tuesday that the Liberal government remained committed to nuclear power.

The Ministry of Energy has posted a 10-question survey online to gather feedback on a 20-year supply plan. It asks, for example, how much wind and solar power should be in the electricity mix and what type of generation should replace coal when it's phased out in 2014.

Energy Minister Brad Duguid said he didn't want to prejudge the outcome of the consultations, which will also include public meetings, but admitted he wants to keep nuclear power providing 50 per cent of Ontario's electricity.

"I don't envision a scenario where we're going to reduce our nuclear baseload," said Duguid. "We see it as being a reliable and economical source of power for us."

Greenpeace Canada complained Duguid was plowing ahead with plans to build two new nuclear reactors and refurbish others even though estimated costs have shot through the roof.

"Despite the fact the cost of their nuclear plan has more than doubled in three years, the minister is saying they're still going to barrel ahead with that," said Greenpeace spokesman Shawn-Patrick Stensil.

"I wonder if this is just a way to provide an air of consultation and they've already made a decision on the directive."

The government also refused to provide the public with basic information on future electricity demand, expectations on costs and possible alternatives so people can provide informed feedback, added Stensil.

"We need comparative analysis, between in terms of cost and environmental impact, and there's no opportunity to do this whatsoever," he said.

"The same government that excluded its plan from an environmental assessment is lowering the bar even further. This is just a sham."

Greenpeace said the Ontario Power Authority refused to release its current electricity demand forecasts, but then said the data could be obtained for a fee of $48,180.

"When the government developed its previous directives in 2005 this information was provided to the public (at no cost)," said Stensil.

The OPA did not immediately respond Tuesday to requests for more information on the huge fee Greenpeace said it was charging to access the electricity demand forecasts.

The New Democrats said people are fuming at rising electricity bills, and they think the main goal of the new consultation process was to delay the long-range energy plan until after next year's election.

"What they're doing with this is trying to push the electricity issue back past the next election so they've got a ton of wiggle room," said NDP critic Peter Tabuns.

"They want to be able to say 'oh no, we're not going to do that, this is really where we're headed,' without having a plan nailed down."

Duguid dismissed a report saying the consultations would mean a delay in the multi-billion-dollar energy plan, but said it would be after the election in October 2011 before the plan worked its way through various electricity agencies and received final approval.

"Most of it would happen before (the election), but the Ontario Energy Board would not be finished with their work, I wouldn't think, until afterwards," said Duguid.

"The Ontario Power Authority has got a fair bit of work to do to put the plan together, a very in-depth review that they'll be issuing to the OEB when all is said and done."

The consultations are nothing more than an exercise to make the Liberal government look good, and are no substitute for a full environmental assessment of the 20-year plan, said Tabuns.

"I think if they really want to hear from the public they should have an environmental assessment of the plan as a whole and then let people come forward and bring evidence," he said. "They are not actually giving the people of Ontario the hearing that they deserve."