Bruce thinks again on Alberta site
09 January 2009
Bruce Power has withdrawn its application to prepare a site for nuclear build, opting to begin a selection process between that site and another nearby.
The Bruce Power Alberta subsidiary applied to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)in March 2008 for permission to prepare the ground for the possible construction of up to four nuclear power reactors. That application related to a location about 30 kilometres west of Peace River and was submitted by Energy Alberta in August 2007, three months before the firm was taken over by Bruce Power.
Engagement with the local community over those plans led to a certain amount of difficulty, with one concern being the site's proximity to Lac Cardinal and the Grimshaw Gravels Aquifer.
Bruce Power spokesman John Peevers told World Nuclear News that there are "no dealbreakers" with the original site, but that the company would be "taking a look at an alternative to see if it is more appropriate and to see if it's one the community is more comfortable with." The other site, acquired by Bruce Power in November 2008, is about 30 kilometres north of Peace River.
Frank Saunders, vice president of Bruce Power's nuclear oversight and regulatory affairs division, wrote to the CNSC's secretary Marc Leblanc with the withdrawal on 6 January.
Saunders wrote that Bruce Power would share its decision-making process with communities through a series of information sessions early this year. He added that the company expected the site selection process to be complete by the middle of this year.