Bruce Power said Tuesday it will delay its controversial plan to ship 16 school-bus-sized steam generators through the Great Lakes so the nuclear power company can consult with First Nations, Metis and others who have expressed concerns.
Last month, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission granted a licence to Bruce Power to transport the radiation-laced steel generators from its plant on the shores of Lake Huron through the Great Lakes on their way to Sweden for recycling.
"We're the kind of company that wants to, in all aspects of our business, make sure we're doing the right environmental thing. That's why we've taken a really careful approach to this and have gone through the process to make sure that it's safe," said Bruce Power spokesman Steve Cannon, adding the company has satisfied regulatory obligations but is aware that there are still some unanswered questions among some "legitimate groups."
"Our relationship with these groups, particularly with First Nations and Metis, are very important to us and we want to be respectful of their concerns and make sure their questions are answered," Cannon said.
Critics have warned the shipment could contaminate waters and that it sets a dangerous precedent for the transport of what the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility (CCNR) has called "nuclear garbage."
Gordon Edwards, president of the CCNR, said his group isn't satisfied by the newly announced delay and would rather see the shipment cancelled.
"The issue is the fact that inside the steam generators there is a significant inventory of radioactive material — 90 per cent of which are plutonium isotopes. These are very dangerous materials that have a very long half-life (the time it takes for a decaying substance to decrease by half), and so in the event of any spill you would have permanent contamination," said Edwards.
Edwards said the harmful materials would end up in clean scrap metal if Bruce Power proceeds with its plan.
"There is no such thing as recycling contaminated metal because no one wants contaminated metal. There's no purchaser of scrap metal anywhere in the world, that we're aware of, that seeks out or wants radioactively contaminated metal," Edwards said.
Cannon said regulatory authorities in Europe and Sweden wouldn't allow metal that has gone through their process that contains any trace amounts of radioactivity to be sold into the scrap metal market.
About 90 per cent of the metal in the steam generators can be decontaminated, melted down and sold back into the scrap metal market, Bruce Powers said in its statement.
The company said each steam generator contains 100 tonnes of steel and less than four grams of radioactive substances.
Bruce Power said recycling the decommissioned steam generators, instead of placing them into long-term storage, is the more environmentally friendly option.
"We do believe this is the right thing to do. The whole intention of this is to reduce the volume by 90 per cent of the amount of material that has to be stored on site and that's a principle that we operate in, and virtually every business and every household in Canada operates on — the idea of reduce, reuse, and recycle," Cannon said.
"We don't believe it's a proper rationale. We don't believe there is any public interest to be served by this whatsoever. We don't think it should happen," Edwards said.
The company has not set a new date for the shipment.
alim@postmedia.com
Last month, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission granted a licence to Bruce Power to transport the radiation-laced steel generators from its plant on the shores of Lake Huron through the Great Lakes on their way to Sweden for recycling.
"We're the kind of company that wants to, in all aspects of our business, make sure we're doing the right environmental thing. That's why we've taken a really careful approach to this and have gone through the process to make sure that it's safe," said Bruce Power spokesman Steve Cannon, adding the company has satisfied regulatory obligations but is aware that there are still some unanswered questions among some "legitimate groups."
"Our relationship with these groups, particularly with First Nations and Metis, are very important to us and we want to be respectful of their concerns and make sure their questions are answered," Cannon said.
Critics have warned the shipment could contaminate waters and that it sets a dangerous precedent for the transport of what the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility (CCNR) has called "nuclear garbage."
Gordon Edwards, president of the CCNR, said his group isn't satisfied by the newly announced delay and would rather see the shipment cancelled.
"The issue is the fact that inside the steam generators there is a significant inventory of radioactive material — 90 per cent of which are plutonium isotopes. These are very dangerous materials that have a very long half-life (the time it takes for a decaying substance to decrease by half), and so in the event of any spill you would have permanent contamination," said Edwards.
Edwards said the harmful materials would end up in clean scrap metal if Bruce Power proceeds with its plan.
"There is no such thing as recycling contaminated metal because no one wants contaminated metal. There's no purchaser of scrap metal anywhere in the world, that we're aware of, that seeks out or wants radioactively contaminated metal," Edwards said.
Cannon said regulatory authorities in Europe and Sweden wouldn't allow metal that has gone through their process that contains any trace amounts of radioactivity to be sold into the scrap metal market.
About 90 per cent of the metal in the steam generators can be decontaminated, melted down and sold back into the scrap metal market, Bruce Powers said in its statement.
The company said each steam generator contains 100 tonnes of steel and less than four grams of radioactive substances.
Bruce Power said recycling the decommissioned steam generators, instead of placing them into long-term storage, is the more environmentally friendly option.
"We do believe this is the right thing to do. The whole intention of this is to reduce the volume by 90 per cent of the amount of material that has to be stored on site and that's a principle that we operate in, and virtually every business and every household in Canada operates on — the idea of reduce, reuse, and recycle," Cannon said.
"We don't believe it's a proper rationale. We don't believe there is any public interest to be served by this whatsoever. We don't think it should happen," Edwards said.
The company has not set a new date for the shipment.
alim@postmedia.com
