Nuclear Power Industry Safety Performance Reports

Related links

Updated July 18, 2012

Each year, the CNSC publishes a report on the safety performance of Canada’s nuclear power plants. The report assesses how well plant operators are meeting regulatory requirements and program expectations in areas such as human performance, radiation and environmental protection and emergency management and fire protection.

This annual report makes comparisons and shows trends, where possible, and it highlights emerging regulatory issues pertaining to the industry at large and to each licensed station.

Reports

2011 (PDF) | 2010 Report (PDF) | 2009 (PDF) | 2008 (PDF) | 2007 (HTML) | 2006 (PDF)

Overall performance highlights for 2011

Based on inspections and reviews conducted during the year, CNSC staff have concluded that Canada’s nuclear power plants operated safely during 2011. This conclusion is based on the following observations:


Photo caption: A CNSC site inspector checks the
emergency diesel portable pump at the Bruce
Power Nuclear Generating Station. Portable
emergency equipment, including pumps and
power generators, strengthen the ability of
nuclear power plant operators to react in the
unlikely event of an accident. Kincardine, Ontario

  • there were no serious process failures
  • no member of the public received a radiation dose that exceeded the regulatory limit
  • no worker at any NPP received a radiation dose that exceeded the regulatory limits
  • the frequency and severity of injuries/accidents involving workers were minimal
  • no radiological releases from the stations exceeded the regulatory limits
  • licensees complied with their licence conditions concerning Canada’s international obligations

Furthermore, operators complied with all regulatory requests issued in response to the accident in Japan.

This annual Safety Performance of Canada’s Nuclear Power Plants report includes a rating for each SCA and provides an integrated plant rating (IPR) for each facility. Together the SCA rating and IPR represents the overall safety performance as measured against relevant requirements and expectations. The 2011 ratings for the SCAs and the IPRs for Canada’s NPPs are presented in table 1, along with the industry averages. The rating categories are “fully satisfactory” (FS), “satisfactory” (SA), “below expectations” (BE) and “unacceptable” (UA).

Table 1: Canadian nuclear power plant safety performance ratings for 2011
Safety and control area Bruce Darlington Pickering Gentilly-2 Point Lepreau Industry average
A B A B
Management system SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA
Human performance management SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA
Operating performance SA SA FS SA SA SA SA SA
Safety analysis SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA
Physical design SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA
Fitness for service SA SA FS SA SA SA SA SA
Radiation protection SA SA FS SA SA SA SA SA
Conventional health and safety FS FS FS SA SA SA SA SA
Environmental protection SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA
Emergency management and fire protection SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA
Waste management SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA
Security FS FS SA SA SA SA SA SA
Safeguards SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA
Packaging and transport SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA
Integrated plant rating SA SA FS SA SA SA SA SA

The integrated plant ratings in 2011 were “fully satisfactory” for Darlington and “satisfactory” for all other stations. This is unchanged from the ratings presented in the 2010 report (PDF).

All SCA ratings for the stations ranged from “satisfactory” to “fully satisfactory” in 2011. This is an improvement from 2010 when two SCAs were rated “below expectations” (radiation protection for Bruce A and emergency management and fire protection for Point Lepreau). The ratings for these two particular SCAs improved to “satisfactory” in 2011.

Actions resulting from the 2011 accident in Japan

This year’s annual report on the safety of Canada’s nuclear power plants includes a section to update the public on the status of the implementation of Canada’s Action Plan in response to the accident in Japan.

Shortly after the accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the CNSC launched a review of all major nuclear facilities in Canada. The review, led by a multidisciplinary CNSC Task Force, confirmed the facilities’ ability to withstand and respond to credible external events, such as large earthquakes and floods.

Taking into account the Task Force findings, the CNSC nonetheless established a four-year action plan to strengthen the defences at Canada’s nuclear power plants and further minimize risk. This action plan also includes measures that improve emergency preparedness and the Canadian nuclear regulatory framework.  In total, the Task Force raised 36 action items that plant operators must address by the end of 2015.

Action Plan implementation phases

The Action Plan is being implemented in three phases based on management direction and public consultation:

  • Short term (12 months) – for all actions currently underway that can be accelerated – to be completed by December 2012
  • Medium term (24 months) – for all measures requiring further analysis and engineering design, or regulatory development – to be completed by December 2013
  • Long term (48 months) – for all actions initiated in the previous periods that will require station retrofits and/or prolonged outages – to be completed by December 2015