Darlington New Nuclear Project timeline
Environmental assessment and site preparation
A visual rendering of the environmental assessment timeline for the Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) is available on request. To obtain a copy of the timeline, please contact us.
| Project milestone | CNSC and other federal authorities: Responsibility and status | Applicant: Responsibility and status | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario Power Generation applies for a licence to prepare site (PDF, 2 MB) | - | Completed by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) | September 2006 | - |
|
Notice of environmental assessment (EA) Read project description (PDF, 3 MB) |
Completed by the CNSC | - | May 2007 | Additional information was required, in order to complete the project description. This was completed in 2007 and allowed the EA to start. |
| Federal Minister of the Environment refers EA to a joint review panel (JRP) | Completed by the federal Minister of the Environment | - | March 2008 | - |
| Draft environmental impact statement (EIS) guidelines and JRP agreement published for comments | Completed by CNSC/CEAA | - | September 2008 | - |
| Comment period on draft EIS guidelines and JRP agreement | Completed | - | September to November 2008 | Opportunity for the public, Indigenous Nations and communities and other stakeholders to review and provide comments. |
| Final EIS guidelines and JRP agreement published | Completed by the federal Minister of the Environment | - | March 2009 | Finalized by the federal Minister of the Environment, in consultation with the President of the CNSC, based on comments received. |
| Major Projects Management Office (MPMO) project agreement signed (Source: MPMO) | Completed by MPMO | - | May 2009 | An MPMO project agreement is an agreement between federal deputy ministers that outlines the process by which federal departments or agencies will carry out their particular roles or responsibilities during the federal regulatory review of a proposed major resource project. The agreement includes a timeline and schedule for the completion of the regulatory review with regular milestones to allow tracking of progress. |
| Ontario Power Generation submits the EIS with documentation for licence to prepare site to the CNSC | - | Completed by OPG | September 2009 | - |
| Appointment of the JRP | Completed by the federal Minister of the Environment and the Governor in Council | - | October 2009 | The JRP was appointed by the Minister of the Environment and the Governor in Council in consultation with the President of the CNSC. |
| Notice of EIS review period (CEAA) | Completed by the JRP | - | November 2009 | The JRP announced the start of the EIS review period with instructions to provide comments. |
|
Start of public comment period Review of EIS, including public review |
Led by the JRP | - | November 2009 to October 2010 |
The comment* period, led by the JRP, included conformity and technical review and information requests
to OPG regarding the EIS and application for a licence to prepare site submitted by OPG in September
2009. The review was an opportunity for the JRP, public, Indigenous Nations and communities groups and
other stakeholders to provide comments. *The comment period’s end date was determined by the amount of time the applicant required to respond to the JRP’s request. |
| End of public comment period | Completed by the JRP | - | October 2010 | Final deadline for public comments on OPG’s EIS and application for a licence to prepare site. |
| JRP public hearing announcement | Completed by the JRP | - | December 14, 2010 | The JRP determined that the EIS and the information in support of the application for a licence to prepare site, along with additional information supplied by OPG, provided the panel with enough information to proceed to a public hearing. |
|
JRP public hearing News release issued on January 25, 2011 |
Completed by the JRP | - | March 21, 2011, to April 8, 2011 |
A public hearing was held from March 21, 2011 to April 8, 2011 in the Municipality of Clarington,
Ontario, to hear views about the EIS and the application for a licence to prepare site from the public,
Indigenous Nations and communities OPG and other stakeholders. CNSC staff participated at the hearing to provide their expert opinion to the JRP concerning the JRP’s review of OPG’s EIS and application for a licence to prepare site. |
| Notice to interested parties or registered participants: Announcement of the 20-day deadline for the submission of written final comments: April 27, 2011 | Completed by the JRP | - | April 27, 2011 | The JRP gave notice that hearing participants had 20 days to submit written final comments, with a deadline of May 17, 2011. |
| Close of public record | Completed by the JRP | - | June 3, 2011 | The JRP received all the information that it needed from the hearing and made it public. Therefore, the JRP closed the record for the EA and proceeded to prepare its EA report. |
The JRP submits the environmental assessment report to the federal Minister of the Environment
|
Completed by the JRP | - | August 25, 2011 | The report was published and presented by the Minister of the Environment to the Governor in Council. Subject to the Government of Canada response to the report, the JRP could then proceed to decide on OPG's application for a licence to prepare site. |
|
Federal government’s response to the JRP's EA report (Source: Natural Resources Canada) Government accepts recommendations of Joint Review Panel for Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project (Natural Resources Canada) Response report (Source: Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA)) Final decision (Source: Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA)) |
Completed by the Government of Canada | - | May 2, 2012 | - |
| The JRP as a panel of the Commission issues a 10-year site preparation licence for DNNP | Completed by the JRP | - | August 17, 2012 | - |
| CNSC’s mid-term report on OPG Darlington New Nuclear Project licence to prepare site (PDF, 1 MB) | - | - | December 2018 | - |
| OPG applies for a licence renewal to prepare site (Source: OPG) (PDF, 5 MB) | - | - | June 29, 2020 | - |
| CNSC holds hearing on renewal of site preparation licence | Completed by the CNSC | - | June 2021 | - |
|
CNSC approves renewal of licence to prepare site Record of Decision - Ontario Power Generation - Application to renew the power reactor site preparation licence for the Darlington New Nuclear Project (PDF, 1008 KB) |
Completed by the CNSC | - | October 2021 | - |
| Project milestone | CNSC and other federal authorities: Responsibility and status | Applicant: Responsibility and status | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPG announces partnership with SMR technology developer GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy as the technology provider for the Darlington New Nuclear Project | Completed by OPG | - | December 2021 | - |
| OPG begins site preparation activities at the Darlington site | In progress | - | September 2022 | - |
| Ontario Power Generation applies for licence to construct (Source: OPG) | Completed by OPG | - | October 2022 | - |
|
Public hearing on applicability of OPG’s Darlington New Nuclear Project EA and plant parameter envelope to selected reactor technology Read the Commission’s record of decision (PDF, 1 MB) |
- | - | January 2024 | The purpose of this hearing was to determine whether OPG’s chosen reactor technology is within the bounds of the accepted 2011 EA. |
|
Public hearing for decision on OPG’s Darlington New Nuclear Project licence to construct Notice of Public Hearing (PDF, 273 KB) |
In progress | - |
Part 1: October 2, 2024 Part 2: Starting January 8, 2025 (duration to be determined) |
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