CNSC Announces Its Decision on the Renewal of the Operating Licences for the Gentilly-2 Nuclear Generating Station and Its Waste Management Facility

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 29, 2011) - The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) announced today its decision to renew for a five-year period the operating licence issued to Hydro-Québec for its Gentilly-2 nuclear generating station, and to merge it with its waste management facility operating licence. The merged licence will be valid from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2016, and provides for the refurbishment of the nuclear generating station, if Hydro-Québec decides to proceed with the refurbishment project during this period.

The Commission, in making its decision, considered information presented at a public hearing on December 10, 2010, in Ottawa, Ontario, and on April 13 and 14, 2011, in Bécancour, Quebec. During the public hearing, the Commission received and considered submissions from Hydro-Québec and 64 intervenors, as well as CNSC staff recommendations.

The Commission deems that the licensee meets the requirements of section 24 of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act. The Commission concludes that Hydro-Québec is qualified to carry out the activities that will be permitted under the renewed and merged licence and that it will, as part of these activities, make adequate provisions for the health and safety of persons, the protection of the environment and the maintenance of national security and measures required to implement international obligations to which Canada has agreed.

With this decision, the Commission requests that Hydro-Québec carry out a planned shutdown of the reactor before December 31, 2011, and obtain approval from the Commission or a person authorized by the Commission, before restarting the reactor after the shutdown. The Commission also requests that Hydro-Québec place the reactor in a shutdown state for repair or a guaranteed shutdown state no later than December 31, 2012, and obtain approval from the Commission before reloading fuel in the reactor after the refurbishment.

The Record of Proceedings, Including Reasons for Decision and the transcription of the hearing are available on the CNSC's Web site at www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca or can be obtained by contacting the CNSC. The webcast of the hearing is also archived on the same Web site for 90 days.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regulates the use of nuclear energy and materials to protect the health, safety and security of Canadians and the environment; and to respect Canada's international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy.