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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune 20, 1996 �t TOWN MANAGER • RECEIVED 11.1 o 4 en MINUTES FILE NO. OF THE MEETING OF ABEY.TO: ND/COPY TO: THE PICKERING/ONTARIO HYDRO LIAISON CO E I COUNCIL HELD ON THURSDAY,JUNE 20, 1996 1 EXEC.DIR.OPNS CLERK AT 7.30 P.M. CU_L.&REC. PLANNING FIRE CHIEF TREASURER IN THE MAIN COMMITTEE ROOM PARKS&FAC. SOLICITOR PICKERING CIVIC COMPLEX PUBLIC WORKS MGR. -HR. TRANSIT EMPL. EQUITY LIBRARY IH. &SAFETY C tGF -IS. ECON.DEN/ Present: Councillor Sherry Senis, Vice Chair ' Helen Break, Representative of the General Public Ken Talbot, Station Director, PNGS Ross Fitchett, Public Affairs, PNGS Bud Woodfine, Acting Manager, Cherrywood District C.M. Timothy Sheffield, Town Manager Bruce Taylor, Town Clerk Irene Kock, observer from Durham Nuclear Awareness Jay Amer, Ontario Hydro Public Affairs Mark Rohlehr, observer from the Durham Nuclear Health Committee Barry Parsons, AECB Senior Site Officer 1. Adoption of Minutes The Minutes of the Meeting of the Pickerini/Ontario Hydro Liaison Committee held on Thursday, April 18, 1996 were adopted as circulated. 2. Presentations from the Public Irene Kock stated that she sent a letter dated April 4,199.6-.to the Town Clerk regarding Bill C23 and asked that this letter bercircuiated to allCommittee Members. A copy of this letter is attachedto these Minutes. == �- ,,` • ..../2 • - - 2 - - 3. Presentation by Tom James,Emergency Measures Officer Tom James, Emergency Measures Officer was unable to give a presentation to the Committee with respect to the Final Report on Exercise "Pickering 95" and will again be invited to attend the next meeting to be held on August 22, 1996. 4. Introduction of Ken Talbot, Station Director, PNGS Ross Fitchett introduced Ken Talbot, the new Station Director of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, to the Committee. It was noted that Ken Talbot has worked at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station in the past, as well as at Head Office and the Bruce A Nuclear Generating Station. Ken noted that he was involved in the community when he was employed at the Bruce A NGS and liaised with the local officials in the surrounding communities. He wants to be available to the members of this Committee and to any others who have questions of him. Councillor Senis asked if there is any information he can share with the Committee about his recent meeting with the AECB. Mr. Talbot responded that this meeting was an update of the programs being undertaken at the PNGS and also a precursor to the re-licensing meetings to be held later this year. He noted that he will be required to recommend concrete improvements to the operation of the PNGS in order to get re-licensed. 4. Presentation by Barry Parsons, AECB Senior Site Officer -� Barry Parsons, AECB Senior Site Officer, gave a presentation to the Committee which included a brief overview of the responsibilities of the AECB Pickering Project Office and a summary of the AECB Staff Assessment of Pickering Nuclear Generating Station for the year 1995. A copy of the overheads used by Mr. Parsons was distributed to members of the Committee. � -- _ Councillor Senis asked if the age of the plant has an effect on safety. Mr. Parso c responded that if the plant and equipment is maintained-properly, ere is n.a safety problem. ..../3 I . 3 - - Mark Rohlehr asked if the expected rise in demand for energy will conflict with the need to make proper improvements to the plant. Mr. Parsons responded that the AECB is only concerned about safety. He has been given a commitment from Ken Talbot that no pressure will be put on the staff until a unit is completely ready. Ken Talbot further responded that he hopes to change the "culture" of the organization to provide more awareness of safety issues. The plant is in good shape and is safe at present but he wants to improve on this. Councillor Senis asked if municipal Fire Chiefs inspect nuclear power plants and Ken Talbot responded that yes and they are trained on particular safety issues at the plant. Helen Break asked how staff at the plant are reprimanded for violations or how careless they must be in order to be fired. Ken Talbot responded that continual flippancy towards safety regulations will result in dismissal. Barry Parsons offered to make a presentation to the Committee in the Fall to give a report on the status of the licensing requirements for the Pickering NGS. 5. Durham Nuclear Health Committee The Minutes of the first meeting of the Durham Nuclear Health Committee were received. Mark Rohlehr gave an overview of the radiation monitor and noted that the Durham Nuclear Health Committee felt that it should be redesigned. Ross Fitchett stated that a better communication culture is to be developed for reporting events or notifying officials of emergencies at the plant. 6. Report of Sub-Committee to Review Letter from Durham Nuclear Awareness regarding Future Topics for Discussion _ �"----- - A sub-committee comprised of Councillor Sherry Senis, Helen Break,'-Evans -- Enyolu and Ross Fitchett was established to prepare a list of issues to be addressed by this Committee. Helen Break gave a summary of the various suggestions made in the letter as follows: .14 - - 4 - a) The "Final Report on Exercise Pickering 95" and the "Report to the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Correctional Services by the ad hoc Committee to Review the December 10, 1994 Pickering Accident" will be discussed at the next meeting of this Committee. b) The report entitled "Outstanding Questions Relating to the Proposed Provincial Nuclear Emergency Plan" will be discussed at the next meeting of this Committee. c) With respect to the update of the Nuclear Emergency Plan, Ross Fitchett stated that the document is actually entitled "Project Update" and a new plan should be out at the end of July for comment. The draft plan will go to the Region and this Committee should request a copy of it from the Regional Chair. The Town Clerk will make this request. d) With respect to the suggestion to update the local public education booklet, Ross Fitchett stated that the pamphlet is being redesigned and re- written to be more understandable and will be distributed hopefully in the Fall. He hopes to allow this Committee to give input to the draft pamphlet. e) With respect to the suggestion that this Committee should receive regular reports from Durham Region on nuclear emergency planning issues, Ken Talbot stated that he will try to provide this information. f) With respect to the suggestion that this Committee should request a briefing on the implications of seismic activity on the plant, Professors Nick Eyler or Alex Mahajer of the University of Toronto and John Waddington of the AECB will be invited to attend a meeting of this Committee to brief it on earthquake issues. g) With respect to the suggestion that staff of the AECB who work at the plant give a briefing on their role and a briefing on the lack of a second independent fast shutdown system at the Pickering A Station, the- presentation hepresentation by Barry Parsons at tonights meeting fulfills this suggestion, however, more details on the fast shutdown will be needed. h) With respect to the suggestion that a briefing be given on sources of radioactive pollution at the plant, a Rod Clarke will be available to give a presentation to the Committee in the Fall on this issue. ..../5 5 - i) With respect to the suggestion that this Committee should be briefed regularly on the number and contents of "Significant Event Reports", Councillor Senis stated that she will bring problems that are reported to the Town Council to this Committee. There was a question on how press releases should be handled and it was agreed that these should be co-ordinated by the Mayor. Also, the "Significant Event Reports" should be a regular item on the agenda for meetings of this Committee. 7. Other Business Ken Talbot reported that the start up of Unit 6 has begun and should reach 100% power sometime within the week. The start up of Units 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 will commence throughout the summer and Units 4 and 8 will not start up until more work is performed on these Units. Ken Talbot further reported that the Power Workers Union is in arbitration at present and there is no chance of a strike. If an agreement cannot be reached, the issue will go to binding arbitration. 8. Date of Next Meeting The next meeting will be held on Thursday, August 22, 1996 at 7130 p.m. in the Information Centre at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. It was noted that Minutes and Agendas of this Committee will continue to be sent to Gary Babbs at the Cherrywood Transformer Station but he need not attend the meetings of this Committee unless required. 9. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 9:50 p.m.