Join Northwatch in Reviewing Nuclear Waste Report Comment Deadline for “Regulatory Oversight Report for Waste Management, Storage and Processing Facilities in Canada: 2015” is November 14
In mid-October, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission released the first-ever annual “Regulatory Oversight Report for Waste Management, Storage and Processing Facilities in Canada: 2015”. Prepared by the staff of the CNSC, the 151 page report is described by the CNSC as providing “CNSC staff’s assessment of the safety performance of radioactive waste management, storage and processing facilities, sites and initiatives in Canada during 2015.”
Three pages of the report describe the Nuclear Waste Management’s project to identify a location and then design, construct and operate a “deep geological repository” for all of Canada’s high level nuclear fuel waste, now inventoried at over 50,000 tonnes and stored at nuclear power stations in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.
The three page summary of the NWMO program and the related role of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission staff will be the primary focus of Northwatch’s comments on this report.
Northwatch will also comment on the management of the high level radioactive wastes at the Bruce, Pickering and Darlington nuclear generating stations, and on Ontario Power Generation’s proposal to bury up to 400,000 cubic metres of operating, refurbishment and decommissioning wastes in a deep geologic repository in a deep geologic repository underneath the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station.
To hear from those in communities currently or potentially affected by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s current program or future plans for the transportation and burial of high level nuclear waste and incorporate their observations and comments into the Northwatch review, Northwatch is holding a series of local roundtables, has developed an on-line survey, and will be holding an on-line meeting to consider the Report. Northwatch also encourages those with an interest or concern for forward their own comments directly to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission by October 14th.
Scroll down to read a copy-and-paste except from the Report about the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s “Adaptive Phased Management” project, or click HERE for a PDF version. Click HERE for a pdf of the three pages from the Report describing Ontario Power Generation’s proposed Deep Geologic Repository for Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste. Click HEREto complete the on-line survey. Click HERE to email the CNSC and request the full report. Click HERE to send your comments to the CNSC. Click HERE to send a copy of your comments to Northwatch. Click HERE to visit www.nuclearwaste.ca.
And so why is it that we care about this? We get it, this might sound a bit bureaucratic. And, yeah, we know, one more set of comments is not going to change the world. But neither is letting it all go by unchecked. Commenting on these reports is part of building the record of public concern, sharing information and analysis with each other, and letting the regulator and elected officials know we are onto this. So let's get on with this!
On pages 101 - 104, the following text of the “Regulatory Oversight Report for Waste Management, Storage and Processing in Canada: 2015” summarizes the NWMO’s “Adaptive Phased Management” Project.
4.2 Adaptive Phased Management
4.2.1 Overview
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) was established in 2002 by Canada’s nuclear energy corporations (Ontario Power Generation Inc., Hydro-Québec, New Brunswick Power Corporation) in accordance with the Nuclear Fuel Waste Act (2002). Under the Nuclear Fuel Waste Act, the NWMO is responsible for the long-term management of Canada’s used nuclear fuel bundles removed from commercial or research nuclear reactors. The selected approach for the long-term management of used nuclear fuel is Adaptive Phased Management (APM). At the time of writing of this report, no licence application has been submitted by the NWMO.
CNSC staff signed a service arrangement with the NWMO to provide regulatory guidance prior to the submission of a licence application. Services include providing pre-licensing design reviews of deep geological repository concepts, identifying regulatory requirements for a deep geological repository and participating in public meetings to provide information on the CNSC’s regulatory role. The current service arrangement is valid for a five-year period, unless a licence application for the early stages is submitted, at which point the arrangement would no longer be in effect.
CNSC staff last reported on pre-licensing activities, specifically, CNSC staff outreach activities to communities and Aboriginal groups at the February 4, 2015, Commission Meeting (CMD 15-M4). CNSC staff are involved early in the process to ensure that the future licence applicant, the NWMO, and potentially affected communities have a comprehensive understanding of the CNSC’s role in regulating Canada’s nuclear sector and of its licensing process. The CNSC operates in an open and transparent manner and, as such, CNSC staff post information on their early involvement on CNSC’s public website.
CNSC staff collaborate with the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) and the Nuclear Energy Association in order to harmonize the CNSC regulatory expectations with international best practice in the area of used nuclear fuel disposal. CNSC staff also collaborate with Canadian and international partners in research activities in order to keep current with the latest scientific and technological developments related to safety aspects of geological disposal.
Figure 4-2: The aerial view of the surface and underground layout of the design concept for Canada’s Used Nuclear Fuel Deep Geological Repository (Source: NWMO)
4.2.2 Status
In May 2010, the NWMO launched its site selection process to select a safe site in a suitable rock formation for a deep geological repository for the long-term management of Canada’s used nuclear fuel, with a willing host community.
The site selection process resulted in 22 communities coming forward to learn more and explore suitability for the APM project. Of these, three were in Saskatchewan and 19 were in Ontario. Since that time, NWMO has been leading screenings and preliminary assessments to gradually narrow down the study areas to nine, all in Ontario. As of 2015, nine communities, all in Ontario, remain in the site selection process, as shown in Figure 4-3.
Preliminary assessment activities are under way in the areas of these nine communities, with engagement of First Nation, Métis and municipal communities in the vicinity. The primary objective of the preliminary assessments is to advance technical and social assessments to the point where NWMO can make a decision to narrow down to one location to be the focus of detailed site characterization.
As of 2015, the nine remaining communities were advancing from desktop studies to field studies. Depending on the area, examples of these field studies include airborne surveys, detailed geological mapping and environmental surveys. These initial activities will lead to more intensive field work, design, safety assessments and engagement over the next few years, including a program with limited borehole drilling and testing.
Figure 4-3: Communities in Site Selection Process as of June 2016 (Source: NWMO)
In this early stage, CNSC staff have been meeting with communities involved in the NWMO’s site selection process to help them understand how the CNSC regulates the nuclear sector; which safety factors are important for used nuclear fuel deep geological repositories; types of safety-focused research that the CNSC carries out independently; and how the public and Aboriginal groups can participate in the CNSC’s public hearing process.
Since 2010, CNSC staff have conducted over 43 meetings with communities and 11 open houses. The following are details on CNSC Outreach Activities from 2013 to 2015:
In 2013, the CNSC met with the communities of English River First Nations, Pinehouse First Nation and Creighton in Saskatchewan and the Ontario communities of the Township of Nipigon, Schreiber, Hornepayne, Elliot Lake, the Township of the North Shore, Blind River, and Spanish. The CNSC also conducted open houses in Ignace and Ear Falls.
In 2014, at the request of community representatives, the CNSC met with the community of Creighton, Saskatchewan, and the Ontario communities of Elliot Lake, Spanish, Blind River, Brockton and the Township of the North Shore. The CNSC also held open houses in Hornepayne, the Township of Huron-Kinloss, Elliot Lake and Spanish. In addition, the CNSC met with two Aboriginal groups, who had requested to learn more about the CNSC’s regulatory role.
In 2015, CNSC staff met with the Ontario community of White River, the Spanish Neighbouring Liaison Committee and the Métis Nation of Ontario. The CNSC also held open houses in Blind River, Elliot Lake and White River.
Notes
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission is accepting comments on CNSC staff’s Regulatory Oversight Report for Waste Management, Storage and Processing Facilities in Canada: 2015 until November 14th.
Community input received during local roundtables, an online survey, webinar and telephone interviews will form part of Northwatch’s comments on this CNSC report.
Northwatch is a coalition of environmental and social organizations based in northeastern Ontario.
Northwatch does not support the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s project or the NWMO’s plan to bury nuclear waste.
The Roundtable meetings and webinar are hosted by Northwatch and are independent of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
The online survey and telephone interviews have been designed at the request of Northwatch, and are independent of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
In Canada, as in several other that use nuclear power - the nuclear industry is committed to the idea of burying the nuclear fuel waste in a rock formation in a yet-to-be-identified location. In 2002 the federal government gave the nuclear industry permission to begin a search for a suitable site and a willing community, and in May 2010 the Nuclear Waste Management Organization formally launched their search for just such a community.
