Peterborough

Latest updates

2013

• March 4, 2013: Shield Source Incorporated (SSI) announced that they will not be renewing its nuclear processing licence and plan to apply for the necessary licensing to decommission the facility. The CNSC will provide regulatory guidance to the licensee throughout this process and continue its increased oversight at SSI to ensure the public and environment are protected.

  Shield Source Incorporated elects not to renew Nuclear Processing Licence (source: SSI)

2012

• December 27, 2012: Following a hearing in Ottawa, Ontario, the CNSC renewed Shield Source Inc.'s (SSI) operating licence for a 12 month period. Under SSI's renewed licence they are still prohibited from processing tritium gas for the purpose of producing gaseous tritium light sources. This short-term licence extension is to allow SSI to complete programs and processes before they apply for a licence renewal to resume full operations. The Commission would consider a future application during a public hearing once SSI has completed its investigation to the satisfaction of CNSC staff.
  • Record of Proceedings, Including Reasons for Decision (PDF)
  • Notice of Hearing (PDF)
• August 24, 2012: Shield Sources Inc. submits a root cause analysis report (in English only) (Source: SSI) as requested by the CNSC in its letter of April 18, 2012 to SSI. The report is an investigation of the technical and organizational factors behind the discrepancy in tritium gas (HT) emission data that led to SSI's voluntarily suspension of its tritium operations on March 28, 2012. The CNSC staff is currently reviewing the report.
• April 18, 2012: The CNSC sent a letter to Shield Source Incorporated regarding requirements for approval of re-start of operations, as part of its follow- up to the voluntary shutdown of SSI operations due to stack emission data discrepancy.(PDF)
• April 12, 2012: Shield Source Inc. publishes its preliminary report regarding the voluntary suspension of its operations (Source: SSI)

2011

• April 19, 2011: Update to regulatory action issued to all Class I facilities and uranium mines and mills in Canada
  
  
• March 22, 2011: CNSC request to all Class I nuclear facilities and uranium mines and mills in Canada pursuant to subsection 12(2) of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations
  
  
• January 18, 2011: January 19 and 20, 2011 Public Meeting Agenda - Mid-term status report on Shield Source Incorporated's Nuclear Substance Processing Facility (Agenda item #5.2)

2010

• December 22, 2010: CNSC announces decision to renew the operating licence for the GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Canada Inc. facilities
  • Record of Proceedings, including Reasons for Decision
    
    
• December 17, 2010: Transcript – GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Canada Inc.: Applications for the renewal of the operating licences for the Toronto and Peterborough nuclear fuel fabrication facilities (PDF)
  
  
• July 7, 2010: Licence renewal applications for GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Canada Inc.: Notice of public hearings (PDF)
  
  
• February 12, 2010: CNSC announces decisions on the EA Screening Report and the licence amendment for GE-Hitachi

2009

• October 28, 2009: Notice of a one-day public hearing to be held in Ottawa, Ontario on January 13, 2010 to consider GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Canada Inc.'s application for a licence amendment to permit possession of low enriched uranium (PDF)
  
  
• July 17, 2009: CNSC Announces its Decision to Renew Shield Source Inc.'s Nuclear Substance Processing Facility Operating Licence for its Peterborough Facility

About Peterborough

Situated in central-eastern Ontario about 125 km northeast of Toronto, the city of Peterborough is home to two nuclear facilities regulated by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).

Nuclear fuel facility

Peterborough Nuclear Fuel Facility is owned and operated by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Canada Inc. (GE Hitachi). It receives uranium dioxide pellets from GE Hitachi's Toronto facility and loads them into tubes that are sealed and assembled into fuel bundles for nuclear power reactors. For more information, see GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Canada Inc.'s Web site.

Tritium light source processing facility

Shield Source Incorporated operates a gaseous tritium light source processing facility.  The facility receives tritium gas in sealed containers from a CNSC-licensed facility and then inserts the gas into glass tubes to create luminescent exit and aircraft signs. For more information, see Shield Source Incorporated's Web site.

CNSC personnel perform periodic inspections of these licensed facilities to evaluate the licensee's operations, compliance with regulatory requirements, and performance in areas including environmental protection, radiation protection, quality assurance, emergency preparedness and security.

CNSC also reviews safety program documentation, procedures and performance data to verify compliance with site-specific licence conditions, as well as with the Nuclear Safety and Control Act and its regulations.

For more information about tritium and how the CNSC regulates it, please consult:

• Frequently Asked Questions about Tritium
• Standards and Guidelines for Tritium in Drinking Water

Several other facilities licensed by the CNSC are located in Port Hope, about 50 km south of Peterborough.