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Follow-Up Program Updates

Previous Updates:

Summer 2006 | Fall 2004

Fall 2006

In August 2003, NB Power Nuclear received environmental approval from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) and the New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government for modifications to the Solid Radioactive Waste Management Facility (SRWMF). Subsequently, an amendment to the Waste Facility Operating Licence for the Point Lepreau Solid Radioactive Waste Management Facility was issued in January 2004 which approved the proposed modifications at the waste site.

Both the environmental approval and the amended licence included the requirement for the establishment of a follow-up program consistent with the original environmental assessment.

The program, approved in November 2004, consists of five components. Below is an update on each of these components:


Internal assessments of health, safety and environmental programs

Three specific assessments were identified as part of the Environmental Assessment (EA) follow-up program:

  1. An assessment of the construction-related training program
  2. An assessment of the environmental monitoring programs:
    • This assessment focused on monitoring that is being undertaken as part of the Construction Environmental Protection Plan (CEPP), which was issued to support the SRWMF extension construction activities.
    • The assessment included interviews with site personnel and ADI, the third party consultant who conducts the monitoring, as well as field observations of actual monitoring activity. Issued monitoring reports were also reviewed.
    • The assessment concluded that the environmental sampling is meeting the requirements of the CEPP, and is being undertaken diligently and with good attention to Quality Assurance. Two areas for improvement of the existing sampling and reporting regime were identified, and have been acted upon.
  3. An assessment of the environmental management oversight activities:
    • This self assessment focused on the effectiveness of the Construction Environmental Protection Committee (CEPC) that is identified in the CEPP.
    • The assessment involved reviewing two separate internal assessments conducted by AMEC and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) to document strengths and weaknesses with the make-up and operation of the CEPC. In addition, interviews were held with CEPC members to discuss possible improvements.
    • Conclusion was that the CEPC is working well, and there are no significant issues requiring actions at this time. It was noted that the SRWMF organization and the infrastructure is working well from an environmental perspective with minimal issues.

Expansion of NB Power Nuclear’s existing operational environmental radiation monitoring program

A consultant was appointed and made recommendations for modifications to the existing radiation monitoring program at the SRWMF. The required additional boreholes have been identified and will be installed in the coming months, well before any operations of the new facilities start. The associated procedures and sampling will be implemented in 2007.

Implementation of baseline, non-radiological monitoring

An update can be found in the Fall 2004 update.

Implementation of a Construction Environmental Protection Program (CEPP)

The Construction Environmental Protection Program documentation was issued prior to construction starting, and has been in place for the entire the construction period. The internal assessments noted above indicate that the CEPP is working well.

Continuing public consultation

Consultations have been on-going through various communications mediums such as our Powering the Future website, newsletters, and our toll-free information line.


Summer 2006

Below are the results of one part of the follow up program, specifically, “An assessment of the adequacy of training of Construction Staff, with a focus on training that has been identified in the Construction Environmental Protection Plan (CEPP)”

Method

The CEPP identifies the training that staff should receive, and the assessment involved:

  • a review of records to ensure that all staff on the construction site have received the training specified in the CEPP;
  • a review of the records system to ensure that the records are readily accessible and complete and accurate; and
  • informal interviews with selected construction staff regarding the adequacy of the training.

The overall objective of the assessment was to determine if any revision to the records system or training materials was required.

Summary

The assessment was completed in late June, in accordance with station processes related to assessing and improving performance. The key findings of the assessment included:

  • There are currently two types of environmental training offered depending on the nature of the employees work: Contractor Environmental Training and Management Environmental Training. This is in addition to conventional safety training and task specific qualifications (i.e. crane operators).
  • All employees on the SRWMF construction site have received the appropriate training.
  • Records for all employee environmental training are maintained.

In addition, interviews with construction staff (supervisors, engineers, foremen, operators and labourers) revealed that all levels of the organization have a very solid knowledge and understanding of the environmental protection aspects.

Two areas for improvement were identified and are being addressed. The first is related to eliminating inconsistency in the titles of training courses referred to in various training documents. The second is related to improving the documentation of employee Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, fire and security awareness training.


Fall 2004

As part of baseline monitoring, one round of ground water and surface watersampling has been completed, and a fisheries inventory was undertaken in the fall of 2004.

While the final results will be reported following completion of the entire baseline monitoring program, the following is an interim summary:

  • The results of all the surface water analysis were within Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines (CDWG). The surface water samples were taken from on-site streams close to the SRWMF.
  • A few of the groundwater samples from in and around the SRWMF had some parameters that were above the Aesthetic Objectives within the CDWG, which is often the case in New Brunswick, and is consistent with historical data presented in the Environmental Assessment Study Report. Specific chemical parameters above the CDWG were iron, manganese, sodium and chloride. Elevated levels of these parameters often lead to high color and turbidity, which was reflected in the results.
  • The fisheries inventory in streams near the facility found only eels and no other fish species.

Further updates will be provided as the sampling proceeds, including a final report which will be prepared when the work is complete.