Update on the Whiteshell Reactor #1 project

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) has proposed the decommissioning of Whiteshell Reactor #1 (WR-1). We will provide regular updates on the project as work continues on the environmental assessment (EA) and licensing technical review.

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 EA, CNL is planning to submit a revised draft environmental impact statement and responses to requests for information from federal and provincial reviewers in late winter 2022. We will assess this submission to determine whether it is sufficiently complete to proceed to a 90-day technical review.

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 WR-1 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.