Nuclear-Free Canada

TORONTO - Ontario has no emergency plan for a Fukushima-level nuclear disaster and shouldn’t go ahead with its planned Darlington refurbishment until it does, environmental groups charged Thursday.

“Premier (Dalton) McGuinty and the federal government must ensure nuclear emergency plans can cope with large scale radioactive releases post Fukushima. By restricting nuclear emergency planning to scenarios that are easily anticipated and controlled, the federal and provincial governments are failing to fully protect the citizens of Durham Region and beyond,” Jeff Brackett, of Durham Nuclear Awareness, said in a news release.

DNA, Greenpeace Canada and the Canadian Environmental Law Association made the call at a press conference in Durham, host to both the aging Pickering and the newer Darlington nuclear plants.
... Read more »

Three Cameco workers in Ontario were exposed to airborne uranium dust in an incident at the Saskatchewan company's Blind River refinery last month, federal regulators say.

The exposure happened June 23 when a worker loosened a ring clamp on a 208-litre drum of uranium oxide yellowcake. The lid blew off and about 26 kilograms of the material were ejected into the air.

The worker closest to the drum and two others in the area, who were not wearing respirators, were exposed to the dust.

The drum of yellowcake came from Uranium One's Willow Creek facility in Wyoming.

According to the U.S. government, several other Uranium One drums that had been shipped to Blind River were found to be bulging from internal pressure.

more

 

Decaying concrete at nuclear power plants is the latest concern for nuclear safety authorities.

At Quebec’s sole atomic power station, Gentilly-2, eroding concrete has prompted federal licensing officials to suggest that any provincial attempt to refurbish and re-license the 30-year-old plant must satisfy federal concerns over the aging concrete’s ability to stand up to another two or three decades of service.

The move comes as economic pressures force nuclear utilities to consider refurbishing their nuclear plants and operating them well past their 25- to 30-year initial lives.

With Gentilly-2 at the end of its service life, the Quebec government is under pressure to decide soon whether to order a refit or shut down the plant permanently.

Refurbishment estimates range from $2 billion to $3 billion. A shutdown is pegged at $1.6 billion.
... Read more »

Show our Mayor and Councillors that you disagree with their move to Step 2 of the NWMO DGR process and don't want to see them take this any further — STOP THE PROCESS NOW.

... Read more »