Darlington nuclear refurbishment gets go-ahead

Late last week, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission gave the go-ahead to Ontario Power Generation to refurbish the existing nuclear power plant located about an hour east of Toronto on Lake Ontario. This is the same site where Ontario plans to build up to four new nuclear reactors.

Lake Ontario Waterkeeper raised serious concerns about the impacts on fish from these nuclear power plants. Darlington nuclear power plant sucks up enough Lake Ontario water to drain an Olympic-sized swimming pool in just 15 seconds. It does this 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in order to keep the nuclear reactors cool. In the process, millions of fish, eggs, and larvae are crushed and killed. This outdated cooling water system kills more fish than any other technology on the market.

Mark Mattson told John Spears at the Toronto Star, the CNSC’s focus is so narrow that the decision is meaningless. “They [the CNSC] say they’re not looking for alternatives; it’s not their job. They’re not looking at the need for it; it’s not their job,” said Mattson. “By its own nature, [the CNSC's] narrowed itself so much, it’s removed all the important issues that need to be answered,” he said.