Update on the Nuclear Power Demonstration closure project

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) has proposed the closure of the Nuclear Power Demonstration (NPD) Waste Facility in Rolphton, Ontario. We will provide regular updates on the project as work continues on the environmental and licensing assessments.

Where we are now

Our licensing technical assessments of CNL’s proposal are ongoing, and CNL continues to develop and revise documents supporting its licensing application to address our comments.

With respect to the environmental assessment (EA), in December 2021, CNL submitted a revised draft environmental impact statement (EIS) and responses to requests for information from federal and provincial reviewers. We have determined that this submission is not sufficiently complete to proceed to a 90-day technical review. More information can be found in our January 19, 2022, letter to CNL.

Next steps

We expect CNL to perform any additional work needed and to revise the draft EIS. Upon resubmission of an EA package, we will perform a subsequent completeness check.

Outreach

We conducted several webinars on CNL’s in situ decommissioning projects and on other related issues in 2021 and early 2022. These webinars provided a general overview of topics such as the licensing process, technical assessments, the long-term safety of disposal facilities, the protection of people and the environment, and the hearing process. Recordings of these webinars are available on our YouTube channel.

We will continue to engage on the NPD closure project and are considering future webinar topics related to CNL’s in situ decommissioning proposals as the projects progress.

To receive regular information from the CNSC, subscribe to receive our news. For updates on this project or to suggest potential future webinar topics, email cnsc.info.ccsn@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca.