Gentilly-1 Prototype Reactor

Gentilly-1 (G1) is a permanently shut down and partially decommissioned, prototype 250 megawatt (MWe) CANDU® boiling water reactor in Bécancour, Quebec.

The reactor was put into service in 1972 and operated intermittently, for a total of 183 effective full power days, until 1978 when it was determined that certain modifications and considerable repairs would be required to continue operations. In 1984 it was permanently shut down and initial decommissioning was completed. Since then it has been in a safe, partially decommissioned, state of “storage with surveillance”.

The G1 Facility is owned by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), a federal Crown corporation. G1, as well as another reactor, Gentilly-2 (G2), owned by Hydro Quebec, are located on the Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station site, which is also owned by Hydro Quebec.

The small G1 site is surrounded by the wider Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station site.

CNL has the responsibility to manage all of AECL’s sites and assets through a government-owned, contractor-operated (GoCo) model.

Frequently asked questions

What was the initial decommissioning?

To put the reactor into storage with surveillance, an initial phase of decommissioning was undertaken in the 1980’s. The heavy water was sent to LaPrade, an AECL facility, for safe storage and the fuel was removed from the reactor and transferred to dry storage at the G1 site. Additionally, the the site ventilation was disconnected and process equipment was drained and isolated. Suitable wastes at G1 were packaged in drums and containers and left safely in storage in the Reactor Building and Turbine Building. Radioactive contaminated bulk waste was also kept in safe storage in the Reactor Building.

What’s happening right now?

CNL’s team at G1 is actively maintaining the reactor in its safe shutdown state of storage with surveillance.

In addition to the storage with surveillance activities, in the recent years, CNL has also undertaken hazard reduction campaigns. Hazard reduction activities included:

Removing and processing the packaged and bulk waste stored in the facility;
Abating the asbestos throughout the facility;
Removing designated substances from the facility.

Environmental Remediation

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