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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD 10-10 Report to Executive Committee PICKERING Report Number: PD 10-10 100 Date: April 12, 2010 From: Neil Carroll Director Planning & Development Thomas E. Melymuk Director, Office of Sustainability Subject: Pickering Nuclear Generating Station A Power Reactor Operating Licence Renewal - City of Pickering Comments for CNSC May 21, 2010 Day Two Hearing - File: 0-5260-001 Recommendation: 1. That Report PD 10-10 of the Directors, Planning & Development and Office of Sustainability, concerning Pickering Nuclear Generating Station A Power Reactor Operating Licence Renewal be received; 2. That Council inform the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission that it supports the recommendation to renew the five year power reactor operating licence for Pickering Nuclear Generation Station A, provided that Ontario Power Generation: (a) continues its regular effort at keeping the City informed of business at its Pickering sites through the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station Community Advisory Council and presentations to City Council; and (b) initiate formal discussions with the City at the appropriate time during the next licensing period regarding the impact on the City of the safe shutdown and decommissioning of the Pickering Nuclear Generation Station; and 3. Further, that Report PD 10-10, and Council's resolution be forwarded to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Ontario "Power Generation, and the Canadian Association of Nuclear Host Communities. Executive Summary: The power reactor operating licence for Pickering Nuclear Generating Station A (PNGS-A) expires on June 30, 2010. The City of Pickering has an opportunity to provide comments to Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) on the licence renewal application. CNSC staff has conducted an extensive review of PNGS-A as part of the licence renewal process and have provided favourable ratings for the facility. CNSC staff are recommending a five year licence for PNGS-A. Report PD 10-10 April 12, 2010 Subject: Pickering Nuclear Generating Station A Licence Renewal Page 2 10 1 City staff has reviewed CNSC staff findings and support the recommendation to renew the licence for five years, providing Ontario Power Generation staff continue to update the City regularly on its activities, and commence formal discussions with the City regarding the impact of the shutdown of the plant during the next licensing period. Financial Implications: Not applicable. Sustainability Implications: Not applicable. 1.0 Background The four reactors at the Pickering Nuclear Generation Station A (PNGS-A) went into service in 1971. In 1997, PNGS-A was placed in shutdown state as part of what was then Ontario Hydro's nuclear improvement program. In 2003, Unit 4 was returned to operation, and in November 2005, Unit 1 was returned to operation. Units 2 and 3 remain in a safe shutdown state. The current PNGS-A operating licence, which the City concurred with, was issued by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) for a five year term that expires on June 30, 2010. On September 28, 2009, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) applied for an operating licence renewal for PNGS-A for another five year period. Supporting materials submitted to CNSC outline OPG's case for the continued operation of the plant as well as business and safety plans for the next five years. 2.0 Day One Hearing In support of their licence renewal request OPG appeared before the CNSC Tribunal on February 17, 2010, for the Day One Hearing in Ottawa to present its report on the operations of the PNGS-A during the current licence period. CNSC staff also appeared before the CNSC Tribunal at the Day One Hearing to present the findings of their review of the OPG submission. CNSC staff's review supported OPG's.licence renewal request and recommended a five year licence for PNGS-A. A Day Two Hearing is scheduled for May 21, 2010, and will be held at the Pickering Recreation Complex. Interveners' comments will be heard at this second hearing. Comments must be filed with CNSC by April 21, 2010. Report PD 10-10 April 12, 2010 Subject: Pickering Nuclear Generating Station A Licence Renewal Page 3 102 3.0 The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) CNSC was established in 2000 under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA) and reports to Parliament through the Minister of Natural Resources. The agency was created as a successor to the former Atomic Energy Control Board. Through the NSCA, regulations, associated regulatory documents, licences and licence conditions, CNSC regulates the entire Canadian nuclear cycle and all aspects of nuclear safety. For licensing matters, the CNSC Tribunal considers applicant proposals, recommendations of CNSC staff, and stakeholder views before making its decisions. To promote openness and transparency, licensing matters for major facilities are considered by the Tribunal through public hearings. The CNSC Tribunal has up to seven permanent members appointed by the Governor in Council and other members may be appointed to serve full or part time. Tribunal members are independent of all political, governmental, special interest group or industry influences. The CNSC Tribunal sets regulatory policy direction for the Canadian nuclear sector, makes legally binding regulations, and renders licensing decisions for nuclear facilities and uses. 4.0 CNSC Staff Review of Licence Renewal Application CNSC staff's review of the PNGS-A licence renewal application was conducted under a recent licence reform. Under the reformed licence format, licence renewals are evaluated under three primary functional areas: management; facility and equipment; and core control processes. The reformed licence format has 14 safety and control areas as well as 20 review topics that cover all of the licensed activity on site. Each performance area is separately reviewed and assessed by examining program, implementation and trend factors. The three functional areas, and their respective safety and control assessment areas used by CNSC staff are as follows:. 1. Management 1.1 Management System 1.2 Human Performance Management 1.3 Operating Performance 2. Facility and Equipment 2.1 Safety Analysis 2.2 Physical Design 2.3 Fitness for Service Report PD 10-10 April 12, 2010 Subject: Pickering Nuclear Generating Station A Licence Renewal Page 4 103 3. Core Control Processes -3.1' Radiation Protection 3.2 Conventional Health & Safety 3.3 Environmental Protection 3.4 Emergency Management and Response 3.5 Waste Management 3.6 Security 3.7 Safeguards 3.8 Packaging and Transport Attachment #1 to this Report summarizes the overall performance ratings and trends for PNGS-A. The ratings and trends are based on the licensee performance during the current licensing period, which covers the years 2005 to 2009. 4.1 CNSC Staff Findings CNSC staff's review of the application concluded that the application contained all of the information prescribed by the regulations. In the oral presentation to the CNSC Tribunal at the Day One hearing, CNSC staff indicated that the overall performance at PNGS-A has noticeably improved over the past two years. OPG met or exceeded the regulatory requirements in all safety and control areas for both program documentation and implementation and are rated satisfactory. Areas showing below expectations ratings indicated an improving trend as OPG is making progress in resolving the issues. Security information provided in the licence renewal application is protected, and is not available to the public. It is reviewed and considered separately by CNSC. In 2007, CNSC directed its staff to initiate an independent assessment of organization and management at PNGS-A. This assessment was completed in May 2009. PNGS-A has submitted a corrective action plan to CNSC to correct identified issues and the plan is currently under review. CNSC has identified the issues of minimum shift complement, inter-station transfer bus electrical system, and fish mortality that OPG has committed to address. 4.1.1 Minimum Shift Complement Minimum shift complement is the number and qualification of workers needed to successfully respond to all credible events. Currently, the minimum shift complement is based on an accident of a single unit. CNSC staff has requested that an assessment of common events is needed to verify the minimum shift complement. OPG will revise their station's shift complement document and request a licence amendment to reflect the results of the analysis. Report PD 10-10 April 12, 2010 Subject: Pickering Nuclear Generating Station A Licence Renewal Page 5 104 4.1.2 Inter-station Transfer Bus Electrical System The inter-station transfer bus electrical system provides power from Pickering B to essential equipment in the event of a main steam line break. In 2007, it was found that the system did not have the load carrying capacity required and Units 1 and 4 were shut down for several months. Temporary modifications resolved the under capacity issue later in 2007 and the units were restarted. A permanent modification has been reviewed and accepted by CNSC staff and it will be installed during the vacuum building outage scheduled for spring 2010, prior to the restart of any of the units after that outage. The vacuum building outage, which occurs once every 10 years, will shut down all six Pickering Nuclear units in spring 2010. 4.1.3 Cooling Water Intake During the Pickering B Refurbishment Feasibility Study Environmental Assessment, CNSC staff concluded that the fish mortality at the cooling water intake was not acceptable. This issue was also identified by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. CNSC requested OPG to implement interim and permanent mitigation measures by 2012. A barrier net surrounding the water intake was installed in October 2009 as an interim measure and a monitoring program has been implemented. Monitoring results will be submitted in July 2011. Final mitigation measures will be proposed once the effectiveness of the barrier is determined. 4.1.4 CNSC Conclusions and Recommendations Following the review of OPG's submission, CNSC staff concluded that: • the overall performance of PNGS-A during the current licensing period is rated as satisfactory; • OPG's application for PNGS-A's licence renewal meets all requirements of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act and its related regulations, and • an environmental assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act is not required for this licence renewal. CNSC staff has recommended that CNSC renew PNGS-A's operating licence for a period of five years, until June 30, 2015. 5.0 Discussion 5.1 Public Alerting System At previous CNSC hearings, questions have been asked on the status of the public alerting system for the three kilometre zone around the nuclear station. Since the last hearing, some progress has been made with respect to this issue, but the matter is not yet fully resolved. As Council is aware, following testing of the existing four installed sirens, the Region has advised the City that six additional sirens are necessary to meet the requirements of the Provincial Nuclear Emergency Plan. Report PD 10-10 April 12, 2010 Subject: Pickering Nuclear Generating Station A Licence Renewal Page 6 105 In January of this year, Council Resolution #03/10 directed staff to have further discussions with the Region to obtain additional information on the number-of additional sirens and siren locations and report back to Council. To this end, staff have initiated discussions with the Region, and have engaged a peer review consultant (Aercoustics Engineering Limited) to review the Region's work. The peer review work is ongoing, and Council will be advised of the results of that review through a separate report, once the peer review work is completed. 5.2 Announced Shutdown and Decommissioning of PNGS On February 16, 2010, OPG announced that it will proceed with amid-life refurbishment of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station. Construction is to start in 2016 and the investment of $300 million is to ensure the continued safe and reliable performance of the PNGS for approximately 10 years. Subsequently, the longer term decommissioning process of PNGS will begin. Also on February 16, 2010, Pat McNeil, Senior Vice President, Generation Development, OPG, appeared before Council. In response to questions about the impacts on the City of the safe shut down and decommissioning, Mr. McNeil stated that OPG is committed to transparency in communications and consulting with the City and the broader community on potential impacts of the decision to continue operating PNGS for another 10 years before starting a safe storage project followed eventually by decommissioning. 5.3 Conclusion City staff has reviewed the CNSC staff findings and support the recommendation to renew the five year power reactor operating licence for PNGS-A, provided that OPG continues its regular effort at keeping the City informed of business at its Pickering sites through the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station Community Advisory Council and presentations to City Council, and that it initiate formal discussions with the City regarding the impact on the City of the safe shutdown and decommissioning of the PNGS during the next licensing period. On May 21, 2010, OPG and CNSC staff along with public interveners will appear before the Commission at the Day Two Hearing for the licence renewal. It is recommended that Report PD 10-10 and the related Council resolution be provided as input to the Commission in advance of that meeting. The City also has the option of attending the Day Two Hearing in Pickering to supplement this written submission with a verbal presentation to the Commission. Attachment: 1. Overall Station Performance - Safety and Control Areas for PNGS-A, excerpt from CNSC staff February 17, 2010 presentation to the Public Hearing Day One. Report PD 10-10 April 12, 2010 Subject: Pickering Nuclear Generating Station A Licence Renewal Page 7 106 Prepared By: Approved/Endorsed By: Deborah W lie, M ~olicy, P, RPP Neil C I P, R P P Senior Planner - Director, Planning & Development Catherine Rose, MCIP, P Thomas E. 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