Feb.14, 2012 posted by Nuclear admin

more info    Comments Off    :Nuclear

Mar.23, 2011 posted by Nuclear admin

Watch this meeting!
Click here to read what was discussed at this meeting.

Witnesses: Sierra Club Canada, Coal Association of Canada (continue reading…)

more info    0 comments    :Coal, Nuclear

Dec.15, 2010 posted by Nuclear admin

On the morning of November 18 2010, seven members of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources and staff boarded a bus on Parliament Hill, and travelled 190 kilometres North West to Atomic Energy of Canada Limited’s (AECL) Chalk River Laboratories, located along the bank of the Ottawa River.   

The Committee has heard repeatedly that the world is edging towards a nuclear renaissance prompted by the need to find alternatives to fossil fuels in the production of base load electric energy to address climate change. The purpose of the visit was to learn firsthand about the operations of Canada’s national nuclear laboratory and to better understand Canada’s energy options.  

The Chalk River’s National Research Universal (NRU) reactor does not produce electricity.  Instead, it is used as both a national research facility, and an international production centre for medical radioisotopes used for the diagnostic and treatment of life threatening diseases.

Upon arrival at the Chalk River, Senators and staff were warmly hosted by Dr. Bob Walker, Senior Vice President responsible for AECL’s Nuclear Laboratories and his management team. Following an overview of the research centre, Senators were escorted through Chalk River’s used nuclear fuel and radioactive waste dry storage management facilities. Senators saw how these structures were being updated to more permanent and modern storage solutions as part of Canada’s Nuclear Legacy Liabilities Program.

The NRU is Canada’s only major materials and fuel testing reactor used to support and advance the design of the CANDU fleet of power reactors. It also produces neutrons used to investigate and analyse industrial and biological materials. In the afternoon, Senators and staff were outfitted with protective gear and visited the on-site laboratories and interacted directly with neutron physics researchers and engineers. 

Senators noted the enthusiasm of Dr. Walker’s team at the prospect of contributing to the new possibilities that are being created by a renewed interest in nuclear technologies. Indeed, new market opportunities may be found in developing thorium as a fuel source for full scale use in CANDU reactors. There are opportunities in significantly enhancing the efficiency of new and existing nuclear power reactors and discovering new cost effective ways to recycle used nuclear fuel. Also, nuclear reactors could play a crucial role in developing the hydrogen economy.    

The Committee would like to thank Dr. Walker and his entire staff for taking the time to allow Senators to see firsthand the exciting research being done at Chalk River, and for the discussions and exchange of ideas concerning the role nuclear energy could play in Canada’s energy future.

more info    0 comments    :Nuclear

Nov.24, 2010 posted by Nuclear admin

SENATORS VISIT ONTARIO NUCLEAR FACILITIES AS PART OF ONGOING STUDY ON CANADA’S ENERGY FUTURE
 
Ottawa, November 24, 2010 – Members of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources (SCEENR) will visit Ontario nuclear facilities November 25-26, 2010 as part of the committee’s ongoing study on Canada’s energy future. Fact-finding activities will take senators to Cameco (Port Hope, ON), Darlington Nuclear Generation Station (Clarington, ON), and Bruce Power Nuclear Station (Tiverton, ON).
 
Participating Senators
 
Senator William David Angus (chair)
Senator Bert Brown
Senator Linda Frum
Senator Daniel Lang
Senator Paul Massicotte
Senator Elaine McCoy
Senator Grant Mitchell (deputy chair)
Senator Richard Neufeld
Senator Robert Peterson
To learn more about the committee visit the committee website, or follow the committee on Twitter:
Website: www.canadianenergyfuture.ca
Twitter: @SCEENR_SAYS

To schedule an interview or to get more information, please contact:
Media Relations:
Ceri Au
613-944-9145
auc@sen.parl.gc.ca
Committee Clerk:
Lynn Gordon
613-991-3620
gordol@sen.parl.gc.ca

more info    0 comments    :Nuclear

Nov.02, 2010 posted by Nuclear admin

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
       
-Michael Binder, President and Chief Executive Officer
-Ramzi Jammal, Executive Vice-President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer
-Patsy Thompson, Director General, Directorate of Environmental and Radiation Protection and Assessment

 WATCH this meeting!

Click here to read what was discussed at the meeting.

more info    0 comments    :Nuclear

Oct.26, 2010 posted by Nuclear admin

Nuclear Waste Management Organization

Ken Nash, President

Click here to read what was discussed at the meeting.

more info    0 comments    :Nuclear

Sep.28, 2010 posted by Nuclear admin

Nuclear energy is going through a renaissance. It is one of the few technologies that can produce, on a large scale, non-emitting base-load electric energy. As such, many countries are turning to nuclear energy to achieve energy security while reducing GHG emissions.

Canada has the world largest uranium reserves and for many years it was the world’s largest producer with approximately 22 percent of global production. However, in 2009 it was second to Kazakhstan.¹ Canada’s uranium is currently mined in the Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan.  Over 80 percent of the uranium mined in Canada is exported.

Three provinces in Canada have nuclear facilities: New Brunswick, Québec and Ontario. Nuclear energy provides 23% of New Brunswick’s electrical power,² 2% of Québec’s electrical power and makes up nearly 50% of Ontario’s electrical power mix. Nuclear energy generates nearly 15% of Canada’s electricity.

[2]  New Brunswick’s Point Lepreau facility is currently being refurbished and is offline.

more info    Comments Off    :Nuclear

Jun.01, 2010 posted by Nuclear admin

Bruce Power 

Duncan Hawthorne, President and Chief Executive Officer

Canadian Nuclear Association

Denise Carpenter, President and Chief Executive Officer

Ontario Power Generation 

Laurie Swami, Vice President, Nuclear Regulatory Programs

Click here to read what was discussed at the meeting.

more info    0 comments    :Nuclear, Witnesses