NPD Closure project – Frequently Asked Questions

The Nuclear Power Demonstration, better known as NPD, was the first Canadian nuclear power reactor and the prototype for the CANDU® reactor design.  NPD made history in 1962 when it generated electricity from nuclear power for the first time in Canada.  It was a single 20 MWe pressurized heavy water reactor located in Rolphton, Ontario.  The NPD reactor was the prototype and proving ground for research and development that led to commercial application of the CANDU® system for generating electric power from a nuclear plant using natural uranium fuel, heavy water moderator and coolant in a pressure tube configuration with on-power refuelling.

For 25 years NPD produced sustainable, clean energy and operated as a training centre for nuclear operators and engineers from Canada and around the world. Operations at NPD ended in 1987, after which the first stages of decommissioning were completed, including the removal of all nuclear fuel from the site and the draining of the systems.  The site has been in a safe shutdown state for the last 30 years.

Consideration for the environment is part of every project undertaken by CNL.  Through the NPD Closure Project, CNL seeks to complete the decommissioning of the NPD facility.  The NPD Closure Project is subject to a federal environmental assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.  The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is the responsible authority for the NPD Closure Project’s EA.

As part of the project planning phase, the EA process thoroughly assesses and predicts environmental effects of proposed decommissioning activities.  The EA:

• provides opportunity for input by the public, Indigenous groups and stakeholders throughout the process
• describes the project and the existing baseline environmental conditions
• identifies potential adverse environmental effects of the proposed project, including accident and malfunction scenarios, long-term performance and effects of the environment on the project (e.g. flood, earthquake),
• proposes measures to mitigate adverse environmental effects,
• predicts whether there will be significant adverse environmental effects after mitigation measures are implemented, and,
• includes a follow-up program to verify the accuracy of the environmental assessment and the effectiveness of the mitigation measures.

The objectives of an environmental assessment are:

• minimization or avoidance of adverse environmental effects before they occur;
• incorporation of environmental factors into decision making.

The purpose of the NPD Closure Project is to safely carry out the decommissioning of the NPD facility.

In-situ decommissioning, referred to as in-situ disposal,  has been judged by CNL to be the best strategy for decommissioning because NPD is a small, below-ground, prototype reactor. This means the creation of a disposal facility solely for the legacy nuclear liability already at NPD. The remaining reactor components and existing waste inventory at NPD would be completely sealed by filling the underground structure with specially formulated grout to contain and isolate contaminants, ensure stability, and to reduce corrosion.  The grouted structure will then be capped with a reinforced concrete cap and covered with an engineered barrier.

The proposed disposal facility, resulting from the decommissioning, would be licensed under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, and subject to the associated regulations and independent regulatory oversight from the CNSC.

In the simplest terms, in situ disposal means carrying out disposal ‘in place’. In situ disposal for NPD will safely encapsulate – or contain – below grade the reactor systems and facility structure at NPD.

The proposed end state ensures the lowest potential risk to the environment in comparison to other alternatives (such as, interim storage of the waste above-ground). This is because with in-situ disposal, the reactor systems and facility structure are safely encapsulated – or contained – below-grade, which limits long-term risks in the case of both normal and extreme weather events, like severe flooding.

The NPD facility is no longer in use and has been in a safe shutdown state for the last 30 years.  Previous NPD decommissioning strategies delayed closure of the NPD site until future disposal facilities had become available.  Canada has not constructed a dedicated waste disposal facility for waste from reactor components. However, the decision was made to complete the environmental remediation in a timely manner – to take responsibility for Canada’s nuclear legacy obligations now and not leave it for future generations.

In-situ disposal is a permanent solution that provides containment and isolation of the NPD inventory for a sufficient length of time to ensure that any potential environmental contaminants will not cause adverse effects to the public or the environment.

How can we be sure that the radioactive inventory at NPD will remain contained? 

The thick concrete walls of the reactor vault and the underground facility structure provide barriers that slow the movement of contaminants. The grout will create an alkaline environment which limits the solubility of many contaminants.

Why are we confident that in-situ disposal will effectively ensure the reactor systems and facility structure is not disturbed? 

The decision to situate NPD in bedrock during its original design and construction in the 1950’s helps ensure the facility is not disturbed by people or events like natural disasters. By filling much of the facility with grout, CNL is further strengthening the natural isolation provided by the bedrock and ensuring protection from environmental processes such as climate change.

Isolation and containment help safeguard the inventory at NPD against environmental processes, but in the unlikely event future societies were to try to build a house or farm on the decommissioned facility, the reinforced concrete cap will protect against unintentional intrusion. Additional institutional controls, such as a fence and land use restrictions, will control access to the site as well.

It is a proven technique.

In-situ disposal has been used successfully at a number of nuclear sites worldwide since the 1960’s. It is a technique that was used to effectively remediate sites contaminated with toxic and hazardous wastes. In-situ disposal of NPD will meet the requirements of all current legislation and will do so by reaching or exceeding the requirements of all Canadian safety standards.

Internationally, the nuclear industry has successfully used in-situ disposal to safely decommission power and research reactors such as, Hallam in Nebraska, Savannah River Site P and R, the Experimental Breeder Reactor (EBR) II, Boiling Nuclear Superheater (BONUS) Reactor Facility and Piqua. Two of these examples were decommissioned in the 1960’s and the 60 year performance of these facilities demonstrates the strength of this approach at protecting people and the environment.

Furthermore, the radioactive inventory that the NPD Closure Project proposes to dispose of at the NPD site is much lower in comparison to the radioactive inventory disposed of at other facilities.

In the long-term, there are natural analogues to give insight into how materials behave over the course of thousands of years. 

Natural analogues, which are natural or anthropogenic (man-made) features, are used to better understand how safety features can last over thousands of years, which increases the confidence in the how the disposed facility will behave. Natural features similar to NPD’s containment and isolation safety features provide supporting evidence, for instance:

Knowledge of how archaeological artefacts (e.g., iron nails from the first century) corrode under a wide range of environmental conditions, supports our understanding of how NPD’s reactor system will survive over long periods of time.

Early cements, such as those used by the ancient Romans, have proven to be extremely durable, even in harsh environments, and have lasted thousands of years. This gives a solid understanding of the longevity of NPD’s concrete structure and grout backfill.

Anthropogenic or man-made barrier systems, such as ancient tombs, support the appropriateness of using a cover structure to keep below-grade systems dry for a long period of time.

All of the existing inventory at the NPD facility, and debris generated as a result of the decommissioning activities, will remain within the decommissioned facility. This includes all radiological inventory such as the reactor system parts (eg tanks and pipes) and the facility structure.  All debris from the demolition of the above-grade structures will be re-used as fill for below-grade voids. This plan for managing waste also includes containment – through encapsulation – of the remaining industrial waste materials, such as, asbestos, lead paint and shielding materials.

Only wastes related to the NPD facility decommissioning will remain at the site. No reactor fuel will be disposed at the site. All fuel has been moved to the Chalk River facility for safe storage until a permanent solution is determined.

Currently, the NPD site is around 1,000 acres, however, the disposal facility will only take up a small “footprint”, which will be less than one per cent of the original site.

When decommissioning work is complete the entire “footprint” will be covered with an engineered barrier designed to shed water and deter human intrusion. This “footprint” area will be fenced and monitored by CNL. The ventilation stack will remain in place, as it is habitat to a protected species, the Chimney Swift, and leaving it in place ensures the best chance for the population’s survival. Learn more about CNL’s efforts to conserve the Chimney Swifts.

CNL will be putting institutional controls in place for a period of at least 100 years to confirm that the decommissioned facility is behaving as intended. Institutional controls include active measures like, restricting access through security protocols , site maintenance and environmental performance monitoring, as well as passive measures, like restricting land use (through coordination with government) and signage.

Since late 2015, CNL has conducted more than 100 engagement activities with the public, including individual community members, government and environmental groups to share information and gain feedback on the project. Activities have included public information sessions, presentations, meetings, community events, open houses and more.  To see what’s next, visit our events page.

Indigenous engagement and consideration of Indigenous interests and values is a top priority for CNL. Indigenous communities and organizations are engaging with CNL on the NPD Closure Project to ensure Indigenous rights are represented.

CNL conducts a rigorous environmental monitoring program that demonstrates the environment is not impacted by the facility. The results are publically available and CNL can provide presentations for those interested.

In addition, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s (CNSC) conducts independent monitoring of the environment near the facility. The 2018 results from the  CNSC Independent Environmental Monitoring Program at NPD confirmed that the public and the environment surrounding the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) site are – as CNL’s monitoring program demonstrates annually – safe: http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/resources/maps-of-nuclear-facilities/iemp/cnl-nuclear-power-demonstration-waste-facility.cfm

Indigenous knowledge was incorporated in the most recent program. The Algonquins of Ontario (AOO) worked with the CNSC to identify locations of interest and plants of interest (such as traditional food and medicinal plants) for sampling.

CNSC staff took water, soil and vegetation samples from public areas around the site. AOO Knowledge Holders assisted with the collection of traditional food and medicinal plants, such as choke cherries, wintergreen, sage and wild sarsaparilla root. All samples were then sent to the CNSC’s laboratories for testing and analysis for any levels of radioactivity and hazardous substances.

For more information on the CNSC’s Independent Environmental Monitoring Program at NPD, including a detailed sampling map, a complete list of samples taken and results, check out this CNSC web page.