Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) needs more time to complete the environmental impact statement for decommissioning of its long-retired Whiteshell Reactor No. 1.
The EIS was anticipated this month, followed by a public hearing in October, according to a news release Tuesday from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. Both are being pushed back while Canadian Nuclear Laboratories updates the environmental document after receiving comment from the public and regulatory entities.
There was no immediate word on details of the new schedule for the proceeding. The Safety Commission is waiting to hear from CNL on its schedule for completing the environmental impact statement before rescheduling the hearing, a spokesman said Tuesday. Canadian Nuclear Laboratories did not respond by deadline to a request for an update to its timeline.
The Whiteshell research reactor in Manitoba ceased operations in 1985 and has since then been in monitored storage. As part of the larger decommissioning of the Whiteshell Laboratories, CNL plans “in-situ” decommissioning of the defueled reactor – taking out most of the above-ground infrastructure while grouting the underground component and leaving it in place under an engineered lid.
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories said last week it received 26 separate submissions on the draft environmental impact statement, from entities including the Nuclear Safety Commission, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Health Canada, and Manitoba Sustainable Development.
The Nuclear Safety Commission on Tuesday specified that it had mandated that CNL provide more information in the main document and additional technical records.
Given the situation, the regulatory agency said it will consider CNL’s request to extend its existing decommissioning license for Whiteshell Laboratories by one year, to Dec. 19, 2019. It did not give a schedule for a decision. Canadian Nuclear Laboratories is also seeking a 10-year extension for the license to cover the actual reactor decommissioning.
