17 Oct (NucNet): The safety performance of all Canada’s nuclear power stations was either “fully satisfactory” or “satisfactory” in 2011, according to assessments published by the country’s regulator.
In its annual report the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) says the assessments – originally made public in July 2012 and now incorporated into a wider report – include ratings for each of the 14 safety and control areas used at the CNSC to determine a nuclear station’s overall performance, or integrated plant rating (IPR).
The ratings were either satisfactory or fully satisfactory for all safety and control areas at every nuclear station, the CNSC said.
Canada has 18 commercially operational nuclear reactors at seven nuclear stations on five sites.
The annual report says that based on inspections and reviews during 2011, the CNSC concluded that Canada’s nuclear plants operated safely.
This conclusion was based on a number of observations including that there were no serious process failures at any plant, no member of the public or plant worker received a radiation dose that exceeded the regulatory limits, and the frequency and severity of injuries or accidents involving workers were minimal.
The report also says no radiological releases from nuclear plants exceeded regulatory limits.
Commenting on lessons learned from the March 2011 accident at Fukushima-Daiichi in Japan, CNSC president Michael Binder said that in addition to setting up a task force to evaluate the operational, technical, and regulatory implications of the Fukushima events, the CNSC also engaged an external committee of experts from outside the nuclear sector to assess its “processes and responses” to the accident.
“All of these recommendations have been integrated into a robust action plan, which will further enhance the safety of Canada’s major nuclear facilities,” Mr Binder said.
The action plan is on the CNSC website:
http://nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/mediacentre/updates/2011/japan-earthquake/index.cfm
The annual report, which was prepared for Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, is also online:
www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/pubs_catalogue/uploads/CNSC-2011-2012-Annual-Report_e.pdf
