The Pickering Nuclear Generating Station
CBC reports this evening that, “Ontario Power Generation has notified Canada’s federal nuclear regulator about the release of 73,000 litres of demineralized water into Lake Ontario at the Pickering A nuclear generating station. The leak occurred at 11:30 p.m. ET on Monday at the plant located about 35 kilometres east of Toronto and was caused by a pump seal failure.” The water is used by the steam generators to produce the steam to drive the turbines at the nuclear plant.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission said in a statement, “The radiological risk to the environment and people’s health is negligible.” Ted Gruetzner of Ontario Power Generation said, “It was a low level event with only negligible effect to the environment and no public health implications.” CTV adds, “The OPG said the water contained trace amounts of tritium that fell far below the regulatory limits.”
Gordon Edwards of the Canadian Coalition of Nuclear Responsibility has replied, “What the hell is considered negligible?”
CBC also notes, “An Ontario Power Generation spokesperson (said) that such leaks are not supposed to occur.”
