OPG Committed to Lasting Solutions for Nuclear Waste
Exploring alternative options for safe and permanent disposal
KINCARDINE, ON, Jan. 31, 2020 /CNW/ - Ontario Power Generation remains committed to seeking safe and permanent disposal of nuclear waste, following a First Nation's vote on a Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) at the Bruce nuclear site.
Responding to a vote by members of Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON) not to support the DGR project for low- and intermediate-level waste, OPG CEO and President Ken Hartwick said today: "OPG respects the decision of SON members. We will now move forward to develop an alternate solution."
OPG committed in 2013 that it would not build the DGR at the Bruce site, without the support of SON.
"OPG will explore other options and will engage with key stakeholders to develop an alternate site-selection process," Hartwick said. Any new process would include engagement with Indigenous peoples as well as interested municipalities.
"Nuclear energy – as a non-emitting source of electricity – is a vital tool in fighting climate change," Hartwick said. "To enjoy the benefits of this low-carbon, low-cost and reliable source of energy with peace of mind, we must manage the waste responsibly. Permanent and safe disposal is the right thing to do for future generations."
"Over the years, OPG and SON have been building a relationship based on mutual respect, collaboration and trust," said Lise Morton, Vice President of OPG's Nuclear Waste Management Division. "We look forward to continuing this relationship."
As OPG explores alternative solutions for permanent disposal, "a priority is our continuing efforts in waste minimization," Morton said. This includes minimizing waste production at source, innovations in waste processing to reduce the volume, and recycling of clean materials.
Key Facts on OPG and the DGR project:
- The DGR project, as submitted to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in 2005, would have been built 680 metres below the Bruce site, in strong, dry and impermeable rock that has been isolated from the lake or any groundwater for hundreds of millions of years.
- OPG's DGR at the Bruce site would have been for low- and intermediate-level waste from OPG-owned generating stations at Pickering, Darlington and Bruce.
- High-level waste, or used fuel, in Canada is destined for a separate DGR for which a site selection process is underway, managed by a separate company, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO).
- The Municipality of Kincardine was a willing hosting community for OPG's DGR since 2005. Four adjacent municipalities also passed resolutions to support the project.
- All across Ontario, OPG is committed to building and growing long-term, mutually beneficial working relationships with First Nations and Métis communities near our current and future operations. In engaging with Indigenous peoples, OPG aims to reflect best practice internationally in outreach, partnerships and capacity-building support.
OPG is the largest electricity generator in the province, providing almost half the power Ontarians rely on every day. It is also one of the most diverse generators in North America with expertise in nuclear, hydro, biomass, solar and gas.
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SOURCE Ontario Power Generation Inc.
Ontario Power Generation, Media Relations, 416-592-4008 or 1-877-592-4008
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