New Nuclear at Darlington Environmental Assessment

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New Nuclear at Darlington Environmental
Assessment
WELCOME TO Ontario Power Generations New
Nuclear at Darlington Community Information
Session Environmental Assessment Fall 2008
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Contents
Contents
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• Tonights presentation will cover
• The Project
• Roles, Responsibilities, Milestones
• Environmental Assessment
• Project Assumptions Layouts
• Project Environment Interactions

• Environmental Assessment (continued)
• Cumulative Effects
• Significance Criteria
• Feedback
• What We Are Hearing
• Input on Our Current Work

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Describe the ProjectPhases
The Project - Roles and Responsibilities
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• The Project
• To construct and operate a new nuclear power
  plant at the existing Darlington site to meet the
  base-load electricity requirements of Ontario
• Ontario Power Generation (OPG)
• Is responsible for the federal approvals - an
  environmental assessment (EA) site preparation
  licence
• The EA and licence application are for
• Up to four nuclear units
• Up to 4,800 MW of electrical capacity
• The EA must be completed before the site
  preparation licence can be issued
• A federally appointed joint review panel will
  review the EA and licence application

OPG will be the operator for the new nuclear
units at the Darlington site
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Describe the ProjectPhases
The Project - Roles and Responsibilities
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• Infrastructure Ontario
• Leading a competitive process to select a nuclear
  reactor vendor to construct two units and
  potentially additional units
• Three internationally recognized vendors
  participating
• Areva NP - US Evolutionary Pressurized Reactor
  (1600 MW)
• Atomic Energy of Canada Limited ACR1000
  Advanced CANDU Reactor (1200 MW)
• Westinghouse Electric Company AP1000 nuclear
  power plant (1000 MW)
• End of 2008 Deadline for Phase 2 Submission
• 2009 Preferred Vendor Selected
• The Vendor will
• Be responsible for construction, including
  hiring, purchasing, etc.
• Turn the reactors over to OPG when they are ready
  to begin operations

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Upcoming Community Information Sessions
The Project Roles and Responsibilities
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• OPG asked to begin federal approvals process for
  new nuclear
• Initial Site Preparation Licence submitted
  Sept. 2006
• Project Description submitted April 2007
• Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency/Canadian
  Nuclear Safety Commission
• Determined that a Joint Review Panel will be
  established to review the documents
• Released for public review on September 4, 2008
• Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
  Guidelines
• Draft Panel Agreement and Terms of Reference
• Comments due November 19, 2008
• OPG
• Submits EIS and Site Preparation Licence
  Application, once guidelines are finalized
• Joint Review Panel
• Undertakes Public/Technical Review Holds Public
  Hearing
• Issues Report to Federal Minister of the
  Environment

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Darlington New Build Project Description
Major/Indicative Milestones
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Elements in the Environmental Assessment

• OPG has completed baseline data collection for
  most of the areas of study
• ?
• We are currently looking at project environment
  interactions
• ?
• All of this will be documented in the
  environmental assessment

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The Project Principle Buildings Structures
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The Project - Conceptual Plant Layouts

• Conceptual layouts developed to provide for
  principle buildings and structures
• All provide for
• Site access
• Switchyard Expansion
• Parking, Construction Facilities
• Soil Stockpiles, Lake fill, Land fill
• Used Fuel Nuclear Waste Storage
• Layout 1 Four reactors and once through lake
  water cooling

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Conceptual Site Layouts

• Layout 2 has mechanical draft cooling towers and
  two reactor units
• Mechanical draft cooling towers
• Main heat transfer to atmosphere
• Structure minimally visible off-site
• Very large land area required
• ?

• ?
• Layout 3 has natural draft cooling towers and two
  reactor units
• Natural draft cooling towers
• Main heat transfer to atmosphere
• Structure highly visible off-site
• Large land area required

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Lake Fill

• Potential Lake Fill
• Lake Ontario shoreline along Darlington property
• From intake channel to Easterly limit of
  Darlington site
• EA Bounding Assumptions
• Approximately 100 metres into the lake on west
  side
• Approximately 450 metres on east side
• Approximately three million cubic metres,
  covering 40 hectares
• Provides
• Enhanced site security
• Additional lands for construction lay down
• Storage for excavated rock and soil
• Potential wildlife near shore habitat post
  construction

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Project DescriptionBounding EA
Timelines/Temporal Boundaries
The dates shown are for EA study purposes.
Actual start and in service dates have yet to be
determined
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Site Preparation

• Timeline
• Approximately two years
• Workforce
• Up to 400 (100 on-site 300 off-site)
• Activities Include
• Mobilization
• Vegetation Removal/Earthmoving
• Soil/Rock Management
• up to 12 million cubic metres
• Infrastructure installation

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Construction

• Workforce
• Up to 3,500 peak workforce for two units
• On-site parking
• Off-site parking may be used within five km of
  Darlington site, bus shuttles to transport
  workers
• Activities Include
• Installation
• Reactor block, turbine generator, cooling system
• Construction Waste Management
• Marine/Road/Rail Considerations
• Concrete Supply

• Timeline
• Approximately six to eight years for two units

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Operations

• Workforce Procurement
• Up to 1,400 per year for each set of two units
• Mid-Life Replacement or Refurbishment - peak
  workforce approximately 2,000
• Procurement patterns similar to current
  Darlington
• Activities Include
• Reactor Commissioning
• Safe plant operations
• Waste/Used Fuel transfer
• Mid-life major component replacement and/or
  refurbishment

• Timeline
• Approximately 60 operating years for each set of
  reactors (2016-2100)

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Project Environment Interactions Matrix
Component Potential Interaction Potential Interaction Potential Interaction Potential Interaction
Component Site Preparation Construction Operation Decom- missioning
Aboriginal Interests
Aquatic Biota, Surface Water
Atmosphere
Geology, Hydrogeology, Seismicity
Human Health
Hydrology Surface Water
Land Use and Transportation
Physical Cultural Heritage
Radiation and Radioactivity
Socio-economic Conditions
Terrestrial
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Potential Environment Effects Atmospheric
Environment

• Atmospheric Environment
• Air quality noise
• Examples of Potential Effects
• During site preparation construction phases
• Off-site dust and vehicle exhaust emission
• Increased noise from traffic and equipment
• Dust and noise levels return to low levels during
  plant operation
• Localized fogging and icing from mechanical draft
  cooling towers (if used)

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Potential Mitigation Measures Atmospheric
Environment

• Potential Mitigation Measures
• Dust management plan for site preparation and
  construction phases, assumed to include
• Watering for dust control
• Paved versus unpaved roads
• Different aggregate grades for road construction
• Slope stabilization (e.g. hydro seeding)
• Noise
• Ensure construction equipment is well maintained
• Proactive communication with community
• Vehicle operating restrictions
• Off-site dust / vehicle exhaust/ noise effects
• Routine monitoring and notification

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Potential Environmental Effects Socio-Economic
Conditions

• Socio-economic environment
• Community character, economic studies,
  recreational users, municipal finance, etcetera
• Examples of Potential Effects
• Nuisance effects to adjacent neighbours
• Disruption of some on-site recreational
  facilities
• Increased demand for municipal services and
  housing
• Creation of direct, indirect and induced
  employment opportunities
• Increased municipal revenue

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Potential Mitigation Measures Socio-Economic
Conditions

• Potential Mitigation Measures
• Monitor neighbouring properties for nuisance
  effects
• Replace or offset loss of recreational uses on
  and off the Darlington site
• Support construction and trades recruitment and
  training initiatives
• Enhanced apprenticeship programs

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Projects to Consider in Cumulative Effects
Projects to Consider in Cumulative Effects
Cumulative Effects Assessment
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Cumulative Effects Assessment

• Projects
• 407 East Extension
• Region of Durham Energy from Waste Facility
• Development within Clarington Energy Park
• Oshawa Ethanol plant
• St. Marys Alternative Fuels Project
• Pickering Airport
• Refurbishment of existing Darlington Nuclear
  Generating Station
• Future 401 widening
• Studies and Plans
• Durham Region Water and Wastewater Master
  Servicing Strategy

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Significance of Residual Environmental Effects

• Criteria typically include
• Magnitude of effect
• Geographical extent of the effect
• Timing, duration, and frequency of the effect
• Degree to which effects are reversible or
• mitigable
• Ecological and social/cultural context
• Probability of occurrence
• Existing regulatory and industry standards are
  used as points of reference.
• Professional expertise and judgment are also
  applied.

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Feedback Weve Received

• Community Information Sessions
• 600 visitors to date
• Most Important Environmental Features are
• Drinking and lake water quality
• Atmospheric environment, air quality
• Human health considerations
• Nuclear emergency infrastructure and preparedness
• Transportation system safety and road traffic
  volumes safety

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Feedback Weve Received

• Community Kiosk
• 500 visitors
• Benefits the project will bring to the area
• How to secure employment
• Importance/Value of the Kiosk
• Timing of Key Events
• When will construction, operations start?
• When will decisions be made?

• Community Events/Displays
• 5,000 visitors
• 50 of the comments
• Nature of the EA studies, Strong project support
• 50 beyond OPGs responsibility
• Vendor selection, Ontarios electricity system,
  etcetera

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Upcoming Community Information Sessions
Thank you for participating!
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• Were here to answer your questions.
• We want your input on
• Mitigation measures to address potential effects
  of the project
• Project to consider for the cumulative effects
  assessment
• Criteria to assess significance of effects
• Comment and evaluation forms are available
  please take a minute to fill them out before you
  leave!

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Contact Us
Contact Us
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www.opg.com/newbuild 1-866-487-6006