{"id":3939,"date":"2020-11-25T00:01:06","date_gmt":"2020-11-25T00:01:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cnl.wpengine.com\/?page_id=3939"},"modified":"2024-05-22T14:40:44","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T18:40:44","slug":"decommissioning-the-douglas-point-prototype-reactor","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cnl.ca\/environmental-stewardship\/decommissioning-the-douglas-point-prototype-reactor\/","title":{"rendered":"Douglas Point Decommissioning"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” z_index=””][vc_column][vc_column_text]CNL is decommissioning of the Douglas Point prototype reactor facility by fully dismantling and removing all buildings and structures, taking care of all the waste and remediating the land. Ultimately, this project minimizes environmental impact, protecting the earth for future generations.<\/p>\n

CNL is now progressing with final decommissioning. The goal is to fully remove the facility from the site in a way that is informed by Indigenous nations and the public and continues to reduce and eliminate risk to the health, safety and security of people and the environment.<\/p>\n

History<\/h3>\n

Douglas Point has a proud history. The Douglas Point Nuclear Generating Station was Canada\u2019s first full-scale nuclear power plant. It was a joint project between Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), as owner, and Ontario Hydro (now Ontario Power Generation), as operator.<\/p>\n

The 200 megawatt CANDU\u00ae reactor ran from 1967 until 1984 when it was permanently shut down having achieved its objectives. As a prototype nuclear reactor, Douglas Point demonstrated that a CANDU\u00ae nuclear plant could be scaled up for commercial power generation, a legacy that helped Ontario get where we are today with roughly half our energy coming from clean, reliable, low-cost nuclear power.<\/p>\n

Initial decommissioning began in the mid-1980s. By 1986, the fuel had been removed and reactor coolant drained in accordance with regulatory requirements. The fuel was transferred to dry storage by the end of 1987. From the late 1980s until 2021, the facility was in a safe shutdown state, referred to as the \u201cstorage with surveillance\u201d phase of decommissioning, which allowed for significant radioactive decay.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space]Timeline - Douglas Point Decommissioning (.pdf)<\/i><\/a>[vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

What happens to the waste?<\/h3>\n

All waste from decommissioning activities for the Douglas Point facility is carefully categorized or \u201ccharacterized\u201d and each type of waste is managed in an appropriate way according to waste type.<\/p>\n

Radioactive waste (i.e. contaminated soil, contaminated demolition debris, used fuel):<\/strong><\/p>\n