OPG, partners sign nuclear decommissioning agreement
Three of Canada’s biggest nuclear-industry players have signed a cooperation agreement that will have an impact on its workforce for generations.
The agreement signed by the Centre for Canadian Nuclear Sustainability at Ontario Power Generation (OPG), Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and SNC-Lavalin aims to, among other things, identify future skills needs and gaps, and develop plans to fill those so that workers can be deployed on projects across Canada and abroad.
The agreement also aims to create a series of best practices for delivering safe, cost-effective and timely nuclear decommissioning projects, and opens the door for the parties to explore opportunities for decommissioning any of the more than 30 CANDU reactors in use around the world.
The organizations have also committed to advancing studies and planning to further cement nuclear's role in carbon-free energy production.
"As the owner of the largest reactor fleet in Canada, OPG will play a leading role in providing sustainable solutions for decommissioning to benefit the environment, economy, community and industry," said OPG’s vice-president of decommissioning strategy Carla Carmichael. "The solutions we develop through this group will be applied not only in Pickering, post commercial operations, but have the potential to be used internationally and create jobs and opportunities for Canada's nuclear industry at home and abroad."
OPG's Pickering Nuclear Generating Station is expected to reach its end of commercial operations in 2025. Top of mind for OPG is dismantling and remediating the site safely and sustainably. The organization is leaning heavily on CNL's expertise in decommissioning, packaging and storage, and environmental protection to dismantle and repurpose the site.
The project is the largest of its kind in Canada.