CNA Statement on the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development’s Report on Nuclear Power Plant Inspections

OTTAWA (October 4, 2016) – The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development today released a report of its administrative review of Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) documentation.

While the Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA) will not comment on the report or its findings, or on the internal operations of the CNSC, it is important to make clear a few points as part of the dialogue surrounding the report.

1. Canada’s nuclear industry has a very strong safety record, and safety is something that Canadian operators take very seriously. Our nuclear industry is one of the safest and most heavily regulated in the world, as identified in multiple reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and peer reviews by the World Association of Nuclear Operators. Canadian nuclear has operated safely for over 50 years without major incident.
2. A strong, credible and independent regulatory regime is one of the Canadian nuclear industry’s best assets for enhancing our performance and reputation. The processes for licensing and operating are very transparent and a key component of the operators’ social license. The CNSC applies an intense level of scrutiny; it has dedicated inspectors on each nuclear generating site and last year performed 4,746 inspections and a total of more than 17,000 days of effort in 2015 ensuring our nuclear generating facilities are operating safely. Canada’s nuclear facilities undergo detailed reviews annually, and also during relicencing processes, which are completed in the most open and transparent way, through public meetings.
3. Numerous times a year, operators open their doors to independent evaluators, such as the IAEA. Through these reviews, lessons are learned and actions are taken to strengthen the safety of facilities. This is consistent with the industry’s culture of continuous improvement.
4. A 2015 mission to Canada by the International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) recognized Canada’s robust nuclear security framework. Canada was one of the first countries to request that an IPPAS mission include a comprehensive review of its national security regime.
5. Safe, reliable and carbon-free nuclear energy has been the backbone of Ontario’s electrical system for more than four decades. Though the nuclear industry provides over 60 per cent of Ontario’s power, its primary focus every day is safety and security, always and above all else.

For more information:

Paul Hebert
Director of Communications
(613) 237-4262
hebertp@cna.ca