Pickering Nuclear Generating Station

Notice of public hearing and participant funding

The CNSC will hold a two-part public hearing to consider an application from Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to renew its nuclear power operating licence for the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station for a period of 10 years. OPG intends to cease commercial operation of all Pickering units on December 31, 2024.

Members of the public, Indigenous groups and other stakeholders who have an interest or expertise in this matter or information that may be useful to the Commission in coming to a decision are invited to comment on OPG’s application. Through its Participant Funding Program, the CNSC is offering a total of $100,000 in funding to assist in reviewing OPG’s application and associated documents and providing topic-specific interventions to the Commission.

Important dates:

December 1, 2017: Deadline for submitting a participant funding application
March 5, 2018:OPG’s submission and CNSC staff’s recommendations are available upon request to the Secretariat
April 4, 2018: Part 1 of the public hearing in Ottawa – watch the webcast
May 7, 2018: Deadline for filing a request to intervene
June 26–28, 2018: Part 2 of the public hearing (location to be confirmed) – watch the webcast

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) owns and is licensed to operate the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, located in the municipality of Pickering on the north shore of Lake Ontario. OPG also operates a nuclear waste management facility at the station. The CNSC has full-time staff onsite who perform inspections to evaluate operations and to verify compliance with regulatory requirements and licence conditions.

Plant Information
Latest CNSC Facility-Specific Announcements
Latest Licensee Public Disclosures
Regulatory Reporting
Other Key Topics

Aerial view of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station

Plant Information

Location: Pickering, Ontario
Operator: Ontario Power Generation
Reactor type: CANDU (CANada Deuterium Uranium)
Vendor: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Number of units: 8 reactors
Installed capacity: 3,100 MW
Status units 1 and 4: Operating
Status units 2 and 3: Safe storage
Status units 5, 6, 7 and 8: Operating
Licence issued: September 1, 2013
Licence expires: August 31, 2018
Start of commercial operation: Between 1971 and 1973 for Pickering units 1 to 4 and 1983 and 1986 for units 5 to 8
Special containment system: Common vacuum building maintained at negative atmospheric pressure
Licensing documentation: Request a copy of the Pickering licence and licence condition handbook by email

Latest CNSC Facility-Specific Announcements

Latest Licensee Public Disclosures

As part of CNSC's regulatory requirements, major licensees must have robust public information and disclosure programs in place. These programs, for nuclear power plants, include a disclosure protocol developed in consultation with community stakeholders.

Most recent disclosure

January 6, 2014: OPG reported a spill of water mixed with oil in a storage building. Some of the contaminated water may have entered the conventional sewage system and reached the local sewage treatment plant. Visit OPG's Web site for more information on this event and older ones.

A CNSC inspector at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. The white tower is part of an emergency injection cooling system, one of the facility's many safety features.

Regulatory Reporting

Disclosure Protocol (source: OPG)
Event Reports-S99 (source: OPG)
Environmental Reports (source: OPG)
Regulatory oversight report for Canadian nuclear power plants
Regulatory Actions
Most Recent CNSC Power Reactor Status Report (This report is prepared to update Commission members during most public meetings)