In situ Decommissioning of the Whiteshell Reactor #1 Project – Update on the status of the environmental assessment process

Public Notice

The public comment period on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed In situ Decommissioning of the Whiteshell Reactor #1 Project closed on December 19, 2017. Comments from members of the public, Indigenous groups and non-governmental organizations on the draft EIS as well as a consolidated table of federal and provincial comments have been submitted to the project proponent, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), for action. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has also identified a number of areas where additional information is required for both the final EIS and other technical supporting documentation.

CNL is currently addressing all comments received, as well as the CNSC's requests for information. CNL has indicated that additional time is required to complete these deliverables. As a result, the final EIS, originally expected in April 2018, and the public hearing, which had been tentatively planned for October 2018, will be delayed. CNL's current licence expires December 31, 2018.

In order to allow time to appropriately address all EIS comments, CNL has requested that the Whiteshell Laboratories decommissioning licence be renewed for a one-year period ending December 31, 2019, with no other changes to the current terms or conditions of the licence. This request will be presented to the Commission for consideration. The CNSC is committed to continuing public and Indigenous engagement activities throughout this period, and will communicate amended timelines for project deliverables once finalized.  

The CNSC will maintain its oversight activities for currently permitted operations at the site, to ensure safety and compliance with all applicable requirements.

For more information on the timeline amendment, read CNL's news release.

For more information on the In Situ Decommissioning of the Whiteshell Reactor #1 Project and the environmental assessment process, visit the CNSC and Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry websites.