Every day, millions of Canadians, including those in Northwestern Ontario, rely on nuclear energy for electricity to power their homes and businesses. In fact, 60 per cent of Ontario’s power comes from nuclear power plants.
More than fifty years of nuclear power generation has resulted in used nuclear fuel. Today that used fuel is safely stored at the nuclear power generation facilities, but that storage is considered interim.
Canada formed the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) to find a long-term storage solution. Canada is among a group of leading countries that are rising to the challenge with a plan to contain and isolate used nuclear fuel in a deep geological repository rather than passing the burden on to the next generation.
As many in Northwestern Ontario know well, the NWMO is considering two potential sites for the deep geological repository: the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation (WLON)-Ignace area in northwestern Ontario and the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON)-South Bruce area in southern Ontario.
Regardless of the location, safe transportation is a key part of the project and a topic the NWMO has been planning for and studying for many years. It’s also a part of the project where many people have expressed a strong interest, and shared questions and concerns.
Canada’s plan involves developing a safe and socially acceptable approach for transporting used fuel bundles from temporary storage facilities at nuclear power reactor sites to a deep geological repository 500 to 700 meters underground. Public safety will always be our top priority and we have lots of reasons to be confident that used nuclear fuel can be safely transported in a manner that protects people and the environment.
For example, there is a strong international safety record for transporting used nuclear fuel. Over nearly 60 years, there have been more than 20,000 shipments of used nuclear fuel in Canada and worldwide and none have caused harm to people or the environment as a result of the release of radioactive materials. The transportation packages are incredibly strong and designed to meet the requirements laid out by our regulator, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, as well as the international standards of the International Atomic Energy Association.
And, while the transportation program won’t begin until the repository is operational in the 2040s, we recognize it’s a subject of broad public interest and so we started our planning early.
Throughout the development of Canada’s plan, the NWMO has taken a collaborative, community-driven approach to transportation planning. In 2015, we launched a public dialogue about transportation to hear from a diverse cross-section of individuals, municipalities, Indigenous peoples and organizations, and first responders.
As a result of this engagement, thousands of Canadians and Indigenous peoples have shared their perspectives, suggestions, questions and concerns related to the transportation of used nuclear fuel.
In 2022, the NWMO published two transportation-related blueprints: the Transportation Planning Framework and the Preliminary Transportation Plan.
The goal of both plans is to advance public engagement around transportation planning to the next stage as we prepare to select a repository site.
The Transportation Planning Framework sets out objectives, priorities, and considerations for transporting used nuclear fuel. It was informed by public feedback on an initial draft released in 2020.
The Preliminary Transportation Plan incorporates proven methods and international best practices, while providing an overview of the technical approaches, regulatory requirements and planning assumptions that will be employed and built upon to ensure safe and secure transportation.
And, there is more to come. The transportation planning process over the next two decades will be a dynamic and collaborative activity. We encourage everyone interested in participating to provide their input, ask questions and raise concerns.
For more information, visit www.nwmo.ca
Have questions? Reach out at: Contactus@nwmo.ca
