Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Annual Report
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Nuclear Safety Our Commitment CANADIAN NUCLEAR SAFETY COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT 2017–18 Te Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission regulates VISION all nuclear facilities and activities in Canada from uranium mining to power generation, nuclear To be the best nuclear regulator in the world. research, nuclear facilities and prescribed equipment, transportation of radiological substances, industrial and medical applications of nuclear materials, and MISSION waste disposal. Te Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission regulates We strive to ensure that Canadian nuclear activities the use of nuclear energy and materials to protect are among the safest and most secure in the world. health, safety, security and the environment; to As leaders in our feld, we are experts with a strong implement Canada’s international commitments on focus on action: We enforce our very strict regulatory the peaceful use of nuclear energy; and to disseminate requirements and vigilantly monitor licensees to verify objective scientifc, technical and regulatory they are following the rules. information to the public. We regulate the nuclear industry in Canada to keep Canada and Canadians safe. LETTER TO THE MINISTER THE HONOURABLE AMARJEET SOHI MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES OTTAWA, ONTARIO Sir: I have the honour of presenting you with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s annual report for the fscal year ending March 31, 2018. Te report has been prepared and tabled in accordance with section 72 of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act. Michael Binder President and Chief Executive Ofcer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Table of Contents MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT 1 CANADA’S NUCLEAR REGULATOR 2 Who we are 2 What is the nuclear fuel cycle? 2 How we work 3 Where we work 3 THE CNSC’S REGULATORY OBJECTIVE 4 Focus on the Environment – Independent Environmental Monitoring Program 5 Nuclear Fuel Cycle Program 8 Nuclear Reactors Program 14 Nuclear Substances and Prescribed Equipment Program 22 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Program 26 Scientifc, Technical, Regulatory and Public Information Program 30 FOCUS ON INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT AND CONSULTATION 36 COMMISSION MEMBERS 38 COMMISSION OPERATIONS 40 FINANCIAL REVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS 41 CNSC MANAGEMENT TEAM 43 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 44 ANNEX TO THE STATEMENT OF MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY INCLUDING INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING 2017–18 60 ANNEX A: COMMISSION HEARINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO BE HEARD IN 2017–18 64 ANNEX B: REGULATORY FRAMEWORK PROJECTS PUBLISHED OR COMPLETED IN 2017–18 67 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Afer more than ten years as President and Chief Tis past year the CNSC also continued Executive Ofcer of the Canadian Nuclear Safety environmental assessments of the Canadian Nuclear Commission (CNSC), it is with a sense of pride that Laboratories’ proposed major projects: Near Surface I present my fnal annual report. Disposal Facility at Chalk River Laboratories In the past decade, the CNSC has achieved many and the decommissioning of the Nuclear Power accomplishments, and has evolved and grown as an Demonstration at Rolphton, both in Ontario, and organization. It has demonstrated its willingness and the decommissioning of Whiteshell Laboratories in ability to consistently improve as a regulator, and has Manitoba. We also provided regulatory oversight modernized its regulatory framework. It embraced of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station in a complete review of its regulatory work and of the preparation for the licence renewal public hearings safety systems of its licensees in response to the in 2018. Fukushima accident in 2011. Te CNSC continues its growing work in vendor Te CNSC has proactively and successfully engaged design reviews for new reactor concepts from vendors in international assessments, such as the Integrated who have expressed an interest in obtaining the Regulatory Review Service mission, under the CNSC’s feedback on how their designs are addressing auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency Canadian regulatory requirements. Tese reviews do in 2009, and this past year, an assessment of the not result in the granting of a licence or certifcation, CNSC’s safety culture, against the Nuclear Energy but will hopefully clarify discussions with Agency’s principles of safety culture for nuclear future applicants. regulators. Afer ten years as President and Chief Executive In 2017–18, the CNSC provided regulatory oversight Ofcer of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, for major nuclear and uranium mining facilities I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to in Canada, including licence renewals for the work with a dedicated group of professionals who are nuclear generating station at Point Lepreau in New focussed and committed to ensuring the regulatory Brunswick, the Chalk River Laboratories’ nuclear oversight of Canada’s nuclear sector. I depart with research and test facility in Ontario and the McClean the knowledge and confdence that nuclear safety in Lake uranium mining operation in Saskatchewan. Canada remains in good hands. Michael Binder CANADIAN NUCLEAR SAFETY COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT 2017–18 1 WHAT IS THE CANADA’S NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE? Te nuclear fuel cycle starts with uranium mining, NUCLEAR followed by the processing of uranium into fuel for nuclear power plants. Afer the fuel has been used REGULATOR in nuclear reactors, the CNSC also regulates the safe management of the nuclear waste. Beyond the fuel cycle, the CNSC monitors and ensures the safe use WHO WE ARE of nuclear materials in medicine, research and other industries. Te Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regulates all nuclear facilities and activities in Canada, including the nuclear fuel cycle. MINING URANIUM ORE WASTE MILLING DRY STORAGE YELLOWCAKE CONTAINER NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE REACTORS PROCESSING FUEL BUNDLE NUCLEAR FUEL CNSC REGULATES URANIUM MINES NUCLEAR PROCESSING NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND MILLS AND RESEARCH GENERATION NUCLEAR SUBSTANCES WASTE MANAGEMENT THE ENVIRONMENT NATIONAL SECURITY AND TRANSPORTATION & INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS 2 NUCLEAR SAFETY: OUR COMMITMENT CNSC actions are widely SETTING Requirements are established communicated to the public, REQUIREMENTS through legislation, regulations, including government, Setting expectations, licences and licence conditions, clarifying when licensees, stakeholders and needed and seeking and regulatory documents, with Indigenous people. feedback ongoing consultations with CNSC stakeholders. HOW WE WORK Te CNSC is Canada’s nuclear regulator. REPORTING It is composed of a Commission that is LICENSING & CERTIFICATION completely independent, and is supported Publishing regulatory Reviewing and assessing actions and reports by highly skilled, professional staf who applications to ensure that are dedicated and committed to protecting requirements are met health, safety, security and the environment with respect to all types of authorized nuclear activity. Inspections and reviews are Reviews ensure that all those conducted to monitor licensee who carry out nuclear-related activity, and to ensure that activities are qualifed and OVERSEEING COMPLIANCE appropriate corrective measures capable of undertaking these are taken to address and correct Verifying that licensees activities safely. are following the conditions defciencies or non-compliances. of their licences Where we work Te CNSC’s headquarters are in Ottawa and we have ofces at each of Canada’s four power reactor sites, a site ofce at Chalk River Laboratories and four regional ofces across the country. Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station Site Ofice Ottawa Calgary Headquarters Western Chalk River Regional Ofice Site Ofice Saskatoon Bruce Nuclear Laval Uranium Mines and Generating Station Eastern Mills Division A and B Site Ofice Regional Regional Ofice Ofice Mississauga Southern Regional Ofice Darlington Nuclear Generating Station Pickering Nuclear Site Ofice Generating Station Site Ofice CANADIAN NUCLEAR SAFETY COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT 2017–18 3 THE CNSC’S REGULATORY OBJECTIVE Safe and secure nuclear installations and processes used solely for peaceful purposes and a public that is informed about the efectiveness of Canada’s nuclear regulatory regime. To support this objective, the CNSC has five regulatory programs: • Nuclear Fuel Cycle Program • Nuclear Reactors Program • Nuclear Substances and Prescribed Equipment Program • Nuclear Non-Proliferation Program • Scientifc, Regulatory and Public Information Program 4 NUCLEAR SAFETY: OUR COMMITMENT Focus on the Environment – Independent Environmental Monitoring Program Protecting the environment is an important part of the work at the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). The CNSC assesses the environmental efects of all nuclear facilities or activities at every phase of their lifecycle. This assessment is informed by the scale and complexity of the environmental risks associated with the facility or activity. Te CNSC has implemented its Independent Te IEMP process consists of developing site-specifc Environmental Monitoring Program (IEMP) to verify sampling plans for each nuclear facility, and then that the public and the environment around licensed processing and analyzing the samples collected. Te nuclear facilities are safe. It is separate from, but sampling plans focus on measuring concentrations of complementary to, the CNSC’s ongoing compliance contaminants in the environment at publicly accessible verifcation program. Te IEMP involves taking locations such as parks, residential communities samples from public areas around the