Regulatory Reporting

We report on many facets of our operations to many different levels of government and their agencies. Some of the regulatory bodies and legislation NB Power Nuclear adheres to include:

Federal

• Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC): Nuclear construction, equipment, safety systems, security, operating limits, licences, decommissioning and waste management are subject to CNSC approval.
• Environmental legislation: Includes the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the Fisheries Act, Canadian Nuclear Safety Act and others

Provincial

• New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board (EUB)
• Provincial and municipal legislation: includes the New Brunswick Electricity Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Environment Act, etc.
• New Brunswick System Operator Requirements

Nuclear Safety Oversight

NB Power Nuclear’s nuclear safety regulator is the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). The CNSC is responsible under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act for regulating all nuclear facilities and nuclear-related activities in Canada. The CNSC grants the stations’ operating licences, which set out the regulations and requirements the station must operate under.

For more information on the mandate of the CNSC, click here.

Oversight of NB Power Nuclear Activities

The CNSC has a presence at each nuclear station in Canada. CNSC staff members have continuous access to inspect our stations and review our activities. CNSC staff report our activities to the CNSC Commission Tribunal, an appointed body of individuals who provide further oversight on nuclear activities.

In addition to NB Power Nuclear’s own rigorous internal safety reporting and review process, NB Power Nuclear is also required to formally notify the CNSC of activities which meet a defined criteria. Event Reports are provided to CNSC staff when an activity meets the thresholds set out by the CNSC’s regulations. These reports, numbering approximately 50 in a year, represent a very small fraction of the activities undertaken in a nuclear station every year but each is given scrutiny to understand the cause of the problem, the corrective action and resolution. Upon review of CNSC staff, each year, typically a handful of these Event Reports may be identified as having enough significance to warrant further review by the CNSC Commission Tribunal at one of their regularly-held public meetings. The cause of the problem and remedial actions and resolution of the event will be discussed in a public forum with this further level of oversight and accountability at these meetings.

Questions?

For more information contact Kathleen Duguay, Manager of Community Affairs and Regulatory Protocol at (506) 659-6433 or by email at KDuguay@nbpower.com