The deep geological repository project in Tiverton is realizing a milestone in its journey to fruition.
A 10 thousand page environmental impact statement and safety assessment report is completed and will be presented to the joint review panel this month.
Marie Wilson — Media Relations manager for the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, which is providing technical services and other support services for Ontario Power Generation, the owners and operators of the future repository — brought the good news to Kincardine council.
She says the report will be delivered sometime this month and represents four years of work in terms of safety assessment, engineering design, geologic studies, environmental field studies, along with public consultation to assure the transparency of the process.
Wilson says the Joint Review Panel will announce a six month public review period for the submission documents.
Eventually, if the federal government finds the environmental impact study is acceptable, OPG anticipates a building licence sometime next year.
Wilson says the repository could take up to five years to construct.
It will be 680 metres (over 2200 feet) underground on OPG land near Bruce Power.
The facility will store low and intermediate level nuclear waste from nuclear facilities across Ontario, such as discarded protective clothing, mops and rags used in cleanup operations.
Wilson emphatically states the repository will not now or ever be used to store high level nuclear waste such as spent fuel.
