Decommissioning of nuclear facilities
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regulates the entire lifecycle of a nuclear facility, including its eventual decommissioning. The CNSC requires licensees to plan for decommissioning throughout the facility’s lifecycle. Decommissioning refers to the administrative and technical actions taken to allow the removal of some or all of the regulatory controls from a facility, location or site where nuclear substances are managed, used, possessed or stored.
The typical phases of decommissioning are:
- planning
- preparation
- execution
- completion
The CNSC’s role in decommissioning a nuclear power plant is to make sure that decommissioning actions are carried out in accordance with CNSC regulatory requirements, enabling it to ensure the protection of workers, the public and the environment and implement Canada’s international commitments. See REGDOC-2.11.2, Decommissioning, for more information.
Licensees are required to select a decommissioning strategy that will form the basis for decommissioning planning during the siting stage of a nuclear power plant.
The following decommissioning strategies are recognized in the Canadian regulatory framework:
- immediate decommissioning
- deferred decommissioning
- in situ decommissioning
Planning for decommissioning
To obtain a licence to site a nuclear power plant, applicants are required submit a preliminary decommissioning plan, including a conservative cost estimate for decommissioning. Licensees are required to maintain a financial guarantee for decommissioning that is acceptable to the CNSC.
The CNSC recognizes and understands the importance of consulting and building relationships with Indigenous peoples in Canada. The CNSC is committed to engaging with Indigenous Nations and communities throughout the lifecycle of a nuclear project, including the decommissioning stage. Engagement includes a variety of ongoing, informative and collaborative interactions with Indigenous groups and organizations who have interests in the regulation of nuclear activities and facilities within their traditional and/or treaty territories. To support Indigenous involvement in this process, the CNSC offers funding through the Participant Funding Program and the Indigenous and Stakeholder Capacity Fund.
Preparation for decommissioning
A licensee must submit an application for a licence to decommission before the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant can begin. Indigenous Nations and communities, the public and other interested parties will have the opportunity to provide their input during the hearing process for the issuance of the licence.
In order to transition from operations to decommissioning, licensees are required to prepare a permanent shutdown plan (to transition from operations to a permanent shutdown state), a stabilization activity plan (to transition from a permanent shutdown state to a stable state for decommissioning), and a detailed decommissioning plan. The detailed decommissioning plan refines and adds details to the preliminary decommissioning plan. In addition, for deferred decommissioning, licensees are also required to prepare a storage with surveillance plan.
Execution of decommissioning
Once a licence to decommission has been granted, decommissioning actions may begin. Decommissioning actions are the procedures, processes and work activities (e.g., storage with surveillance, decontamination, dismantling or clean-up) that are taken to retire a facility, location or site from service with due regard for the health and safety of people and the environment.
Completion of decommissioning
Completion is the final phase of decommissioning and includes the demonstration that the end‑state criteria have been met. Decommissioning ends with the release of the facility from CNSC regulatory control. If unrestricted release cannot be achieved, institutional controls must be in place and the facility may need to remain under CNSC oversight.
Compliance and enforcement
Ensuring compliance with legislation, regulations and licensing requirements is one of the CNSC’s core business processes and is carried out through compliance verification and enforcement. Together, these activities enable the CNSC to assure Canadians of the continuing compliance and safety performance of licensees. Regular inspections and evaluations verify that licensees are complying with laws, regulations and their licence conditions. The CNSC uses a graduated approach to enforcement to encourage and compel compliance and deter future non‑compliances.
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