OTTAWA, August 25, 2011 – The Joint Review Panel for the Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project today announces that it has submitted its report to the federal Minister of the Environment.
The report follows a review of the environmental impact statement prepared by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), a public hearing held over seventeen days in March and April 2011, and an in-camera session to address security matters held in May 2011.
During the review the Joint Review Panel received submissions and heard presentations from OPG, Aboriginal groups, federal and provincial governments, local governments, environmental groups, individuals and organizations interested in the potential effects of the Project. The Panel thanks all those who participated in this review. The information that was submitted and presented was appreciated by the Panel and given careful consideration.
The Panel concludes that the Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, provided the mitigation measures proposed and commitments made by OPG during the review and the recommendations in the Joint Review Panel Environmental Assessment Report are implemented.
In this report, the Panel highlights actions that are required to address the effects of the Project on aquatic and terrestrial biota and habitat, health, waste management, emergency preparedness and the consequences of a severe accident, nuclear liability insurance, and land use.
Subject to the Government of Canada response to the report, the Joint Review Panel may then proceed to make a decision on OPG’s Application for a Licence to Prepare Site.
A summary of the Joint Review Panel Environmental Assessment Report is available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca and on the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Web site at www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca . The Panel report will be posted on these Web sites once it has been translated into French.
The Panel report is available upon request through the panel secretariat at Darlington.Review@ceaa.gc.ca or JRP-OPG-Darlington@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca .
The project is a proposal by OPG for the site preparation, construction, operation, decommissioning and abandonment of up to four new nuclear reactors at its existing Darlington Nuclear site located along the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the Municipality of Clarington. The project is expected to generate up to 4800 megawatts of electricity for delivery to the Ontario grid.
The Joint Review Panel for the Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project is an independent body, mandated by the Minister of the Environment and the President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to assess the environmental effects of the proposed project and consider the Application for a Licence to Prepare Site.
For more information, media may contact:
Lucille Jamault
Communications
Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project Joint Review Panel
Tel.: 613-957-0434 / 613-552-5253
