Request pursuant to Subsection 12(2) of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations: Darlington NGS – Worker Injuries at the Darlington New Nuclear Project

Directorate of Power Reactor Regulation

July 25, 2025

Mr. Bob Jackowski
Vice President
Small Modular Reactors
Ontario Power Generation, Inc.
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7

Dear Mr. Jackowski:

This letter is a request being issued to Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Inc., pursuant to subsection 12(2) of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations (GNSCR) related to a number of worker injuries on the Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) construction site.

Since the issuance of Power Reactor Construction Licence PRCL 32.00/2035 in April 2025, and the commencement of licensed activities, there have been three serious worker injuries at the DNNP site:

1. April 9, 2025:  A worker was pinned against a concrete block wall by a heavy bin, resulting in serious injuries and hospitalization.
2. July 15, 2025: A worker standing on an I-beam lost their balance and jumped to the ground, which was 1.5 metres below, resulting in the fracture of both heels.
3. July 24, 2025: A worker was struck by a lifting jib that dislodged and fell from a forklift telehandler, resulting in a serious shoulder injury and hospitalization.

As the holder of a licence under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, OPG is the entity accountable and responsible for ensuring the safe execution of licensed activities. In particular, OPG must ensure compliance with Licence Conditions 1.1 (Management System – Contractor Management) and 8.1 (Conventional Health and Safety) of PRCL 32.00/2035. The frequency and severity of injuries sustained by contract workers employed by OPG’s contractors over the past three months are of serious concern to the CNSC. Despite the corrective measures put in place to address the recent events, these actions are proving to be insufficient, as evidenced by the continuation of incidents. This raises concerns about the adequacy of OPG’s oversight and the effectiveness of current safety protocols on-site.

We are seeking assurance from OPG that an effective response is being implemented to prevent further injuries.

OPG is hereby requested to provide a response, by August 1, 2025, acknowledging receipt of this letter and summarizing the immediate actions taken by OPG, such as standing down of construction activities. In addition, pursuant to my authority as a person authorized by the Commission for the purposes of subsection 12(2) of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations, I hereby request that OPG submit the following information within 14 days of the date of this letter:

• A description of actions taken by OPG and contractors working on the DNNP site.
• Measures OPG will implement to enhance its oversight of its contractors.
• A confirmation by OPG whether it maintains adequate confidence in its contractors to conduct the activities under the Integrated Project Delivery Model.

As part of a graduated enforcement plan, failure to act and/or respond to a request under subsection 12(2) of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations may lead to further enforcement action.

Please note that, in accordance with subsection 12(2) of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations, OPG is required to file a report with the Commission by August 1, 2025, that contains the following information:

• a) confirmation that the request will or will not be carried out or will be carried out in part
• b) any action that OPG has taken to carry out the request or any part of it;
• c) any reasons why the request or any part of it will not be carried out;
• d) any proposed alternative means to achieve the objectives of the request; and
• e) any proposed alternative period within which OPG proposes to carry out the request.

If you have any questions related to this matter, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Kenneth Lun, Acting Director, Darlington Regulatory Program Division, at 613-795-9146 or by e-mail at kenneth.lun@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca.

Yours truly,

Alexandre Viktorov, Ph.D.
Director General
Directorate of Power Reactor Regulation