May 11, 2011
Dates set for AECL
licence hearing
by Terry Myers
Atomic Energy of Canada will appear before the Canadian Nuclear Safety
Commission early next month in a bid for a new five-year operating
licence for the Chalk River Laboratories.
Day one of the hearings will be held at the CNSC offices in Ottawa on
June 8.
Day two hearings, which include public input, will be held October 5
and 6 at the Chalk River Lions Hall.
Public requests to take part in the hearings must be filed with the
commission by September 6.
AECL's current licence for Chalk River runs out as of October 31 this
year. The company has requested a new five-year licence to 2016.
Meanwhile, the Organization of Candu Industries (OCI) is calling on the
new Conservative government to provide “clarity” on its plans for the
future of AECL.
“The thousands of men and women working in Canada's nuclear industry
have been waiting since 2007 for the federal government to finalize
plans for the restructuring of AECL,” OCI said in a statement last week.
“The delay in decisions has created uncertainty in the marketplace
about the future of Canada's highly successful Candu reactor
technology, which has created serious problems for Canada's nuclear
industry supply chain.
“The uncertainty has also caused the Ontario government to delay
decisions about Candu technology for the two new reactors planned for
the Darlington site.”
“Now that the federal election is completed and politicians are going
to be getting back to work, we are calling on all federal politicians
to work together to help Canada's nuclear industry regain its
competitive position," said OCI general manager, David Marinacci.
"The men and women working in Canada's nuclear industry urgently need
decisions about AECL so we can capitalize on the domestic and
international opportunities."
Uncertainty about the future of AECL's commercial division was raised
again last month following reports that Ontario's municipal pension
fund has pulled out of talks for the company.
The Globe and Mail reported recently that the Ontario Municipal
Employees Retirement System (OMERS) had walked away from the
negotiating table for AECL.
OMERS had come forward in February as a potential partner with Montreal
engineering firm SNC Lavalin Group Inc to buy AECL's Candu reactor
business.
SNC Lavalin has been one of the partners in AECL's "Team Candu."
OMERS is already involved in the nuclear industry as an investor in
Bruce Power.
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