Consulting firm GHD Ltd. has conducted a peer review for the proposed Deep Geological Repository to store used nuclear fuel in the Municipality of South Bruce.
A media release from Public Relations Officer Tyler Robinson said the peer review concluded there is no evidence that would keep the municipality from going forward with the next steps of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) site selection process.
The report said the GHD Peer Review Team had over 70 independent subject matter experts review NWMO and third-party consultants’ work plans, data, field observations, and draft study findings.
The media release said that although GHD endorsed the science showing a repository can be safely constructed within South Bruce with negligible radiological risk, GHD also cautioned additional studies will be needed, particularly following the final site selection.
The NWMO is also considering Ignace in Northern Ontario as a storage site for Canada's high level nuclear waste.
A summary of the work, and how it addresses the municipalities 36 guiding principals will be mailed to South Bruce Households in the coming days. The studies include a Confidence in Safety Report, Preliminary Radiological Safety Study, Deep Geological Repository Conceptual Design Report, Preliminary Radon Assessment for a Used Fuel DGR Report, and Emergency Services Study Report.
The full report is available here.