Port Hope Conversion Facility
Cameco Corporation (Cameco) owns and is licensed to operate the Port Hope Conversion Facility (PHCF), located in Port Hope, Ontario. The CNSC has full-time, dedicated staff who periodically perform inspections to evaluate operations and to verify compliance with regulatory requirements and licence conditions.
- Facility Information
- Latest CNSC Facility-Specific Announcements
- Disclosure Protocol
- Regulatory Reporting
- Other Key Topics
Facility Information
Aerial view of Cameco's Port Hope Conversion Facility
Location: Port Hope, Ontario
Licensee: Cameco Corporation
Status: Operating
Licence issued: March 1, 2017
Licence expires: February 28, 2027
Start of commercial operation: 1935
Cameco's PHCF is a nuclear substance processing facility licensed to process uranium trioxide (UO3) into both uranium dioxide (UO2) and uranium hexafluoride (UF6). UO2 is used to manufacture fuel for power reactors in Canada, while UF6 is exported to companies in other countries for enrichment and fabrication into fuel for nuclear power reactors around the world. The facility is located in the Municipality of Port Hope, situated on the north shore of Lake Ontario approximately 100 kilometres east of Toronto, Ontario.
Cameco Corporation’s Port Hope Conversion Facility website
Focus on safety and the environment
The CNSC is committed to protecting the safety of people and the environment. Click below for current environmental and safety performance data for Cameco’s Port Hope Conversion Facility.
Operating Performance of the Port Hope Conversion Facility
The CNSC produces an annual report on the performance of uranium fuel cycle and processing facilities, which includes the PHCF. The report provides information on events, facility modifications, and areas of increased regulatory focus. It also tracks data on:
- public and worker radiation dose
- lost-time incidents for workers
- environmental monitoring results
- environmental reportable spills and corrective actions taken
- current financial guarantees for future decommissioning costs
Read the report to learn about the operating performance of the PHCF.
Latest CNSC Facility-Specific Announcements
- October 4, 2019: A hydrogen fluoride leak inside their UF6 plant at the company’s Port Hope location. Visit Cameco's website for more information.
- March 20, 2018: CNSC releases 2017 Independent Environmental Monitoring Program results for the Port Hope Conversion Facility and Cameco Fuel Manufacturing. Results confirm that the public and the environment around these facilities are protected.
- February 27, 2017: CNSC renews the nuclear fuel facility operating licence for the Port Hope Conversion Facility
- February 29, 2012: CNSC Announces Decision on Renewal of Operating Licence for Cameco Corporation's Uranium Conversion Facility in Port Hope, Ontario
Disclosure Protocol
As part of CNSC's regulatory requirements, major licensees must have robust public information and disclosure programs in place.
- Cameco's Public Information and Disclosure Protocol for Port Hope Conversion Facility
- Port Hope Environmental Incidents
Regulatory Reporting
- Port Hope Conversion Facility's annual compliance reports
- Regulatory actions
- Event Reports for Major Nuclear Facilities
Other Key Topics
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