TIVERTON – Bruce Power announced today it will participate in an operational safety performance review led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The review will focus on Bruce B, which is recognized internationally for its strong safety and operational performance and was awarded the Institute of Nuclear Power Operators (INPO) award of excellence in recognition of its world-class performance in November.
"I'm honoured we have been chosen to participate in this prestigious international review, where we will share the progress we've made on the Bruce Power site since 2001, and continue to do what nuclear operators do best – focus on sharing best practices and continuous improvement," said Duncan Hawthorne, President and CEO, Bruce Power. "By any measure, we work in one of the safest industries in the world and this level of performance is only achieved through sharing our experiences and successes as an industry, while always being open and transparent about how we can do better."
Bruce Power will host a group of international nuclear experts led by IAEA through an Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) Mission in 2015. Bruce Power was put forward for this review by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), Canada's independent nuclear regulator and an active participant in the international nuclear community.
"Bruce Power is a cornerstone of Canada's nuclear industry, which provides employment for more than 30,000 Canadians and helps make Canada's electricity supply among the cleanest in the world," said the Hon. Ed Holder, Minister of State for Science and Technology. "Our government continues to enhance safety, security and environmental protection in the nuclear industry, and we welcome Bruce Power's participation in this international nuclear safety review."
The OSART Program has been in place since 1982, providing member states the opportunity to share best practices and also to support continuous improvements to their operations. Best practices identified through these reviews are shared through the IAEA to other nuclear operators.
"We all know the role that Bruce Power plays in southwestern Ontario as both a good corporate citizen and contributor to Ontario's economy through investment and low-cost electricity, but I don't think many realize how well respected the organization is on the international stage," said Ben Lobb, Member of Parliament for Huron-Bruce. "I'm pleased that Bruce Power has been selected to participate in this prestigious international peer review so we can share our best practices and learn from others."
Bruce Power's facilities are licensed by the CNSC, which has inspectors on site and publishes an annual report on the safety performance of all nuclear power plants in Canada. Bruce Power's positive report card from 2013 can be found at http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/pubs_catalogue/uploads/2013-CNSC-NPP-Safety-Report-eng.pdf.
In addition, Bruce Power is also an active member of the World Association of Nuclear Operators, which also conducts reviews of facilities with extensive information sharing.
For more information on the OSART Mission, watch a YouTube video at http://bit.ly/1AkIbhF. Additionally, a page on the Bruce Power website has been dedicated to this review at www.brucepower.com/safety-first/osart2015.
Source - Bruce Power
