reactor core from research reactor to be shipped from saskatoon to savannah river
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has issued an amended Notice of a Public Hearing on the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) application to amend their license for the SLOWPOKE-2 reactor on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan from an operating license to a decommissioning license. The deadline for public comment is August 26th with a hearing scheduled for September 26th, possibly in an online format.
BRIEFING NOTE ON SASKATCHEWAN RESEARCH COUNCIL SLOWPOKE REACTOR DECOMMISSIONING – AUGUST 2019
Key issues include:
Comments on the decommissioning plan and the request to amend the license from an operating licence to a decommissioning license must be submitted to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission no later than August 26th.
Send your comments by August 26th to [email protected] or by fax to 613-995-5086
The CNSC hearing will be in Ottawa, but you can request to “appear” before the Commission by phone or video.
Documents are available on the CNSC web site or email [email protected] for a link to the Google Drive with the CNSC and SRC submissions and references.
Key issues include:
- as much of the waste as possible will be classified for “unconditional release” and sent to the municipal landfill
- radioactive water from the reactor pool will be processed then released into the municipal sewage system
- the reactor pool will be “decommissioned” by filling it with concrete to the floor level
- the irradiated core will be transferred to a transportation flask while under water in the reactor pool
- the high level radioactive wastes (the reactor core) will be shipped to the U.S.
- low and intermediate level radioactive wastes will be shipped to Chalk River, in eastern Ontario
- beryllium oxide dust from SLOWPOKE-2 reactor components is a chemical and radiological hazard
- The collective dose for decommissioning is estimated to 2.7 mSv (compared to 0.26 mSv for U of Alberta)
- the decommissioning work is being contracted to CANDU Energy, a branch of SNC Lavelin
- a financial guarantee of $5.76 M is in place, with SRC’s President/CEO is authorized to expend up to $7.5M
- Six months of decommissioning begins after the CNSC approval; in 2020 SRC will apply for a Licence to Abandon
- SRC describes a low level of public interest, with only positive or neutral responses to the decommissioning plan
- CNSC staff determined that there is no duty to consult with Indigenous peoples about this project
Comments on the decommissioning plan and the request to amend the license from an operating licence to a decommissioning license must be submitted to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission no later than August 26th.
Send your comments by August 26th to [email protected] or by fax to 613-995-5086
The CNSC hearing will be in Ottawa, but you can request to “appear” before the Commission by phone or video.
Documents are available on the CNSC web site or email [email protected] for a link to the Google Drive with the CNSC and SRC submissions and references.
