Start of Public Review Period on the Environmental Impact Statement and the
Application for a Licence to Prepare a Site for the Darlington New Nuclear
Power Plant Project

OTTAWA, Nov. 16 /CNW Telbec/ - The Joint Review Panel for the Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project announces the start of the six-month public review period on the adequacy of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the Application for a Licence to Prepare a Site submitted by the proponent, Ontario Power Generation to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).

The EIS and the licence application are intended to examine the potential environmental effects of all phases of the project and address all requirements of a licence to prepare a site - the first in a series of licences required over the lifetime of a new nuclear power plant. The proponent was directed to prepare the documents in accordance with guidelines that were developed jointly by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and the CNSC, and issued by the Minister of the Environment.

"The start of the public review period is a major milestone for this review as stakeholders and public participation are cornerstones of the environmental assessment and nuclear power plant licensing processes," said Joint Review Panel Chair, Mr. Alan Graham. "This comment period gives stakeholders and members of the public the opportunity to express their views to the Panel on whether the EIS and the Application for a Licence to Prepare a Site adequately address all the requirements that were identified in the guidelines."

In addition, the Panel issued today preliminary instructions for the public review of the EIS and the licence application. The Panel may issue additional directions on procedures to ensure effective, efficient, fair and transparent process. During the public review period, the Panel will carry out its own review of the proponent's EIS and licence application and may issue requests for additional information to the proponent. The Panel encourages comments and recommendations from outside parties outlining proposed information requests.

Please forward written or recorded comments by mail, e-mail or fax to the attention of either or both of the Panel Co-Managers, on or before May 17, 2010. This date is subject to change depending on the time required for the proponent to respond to additional information that may be requested by the Panel. All comments and proposed information requests received by the Panel will be treated as public documents and posted on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry Internet site for this project.

    
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    Debra Myles                           Kelly McGee
    Panel Co-Manager                      Panel Co-Manager
    Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant    Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant
    Project Joint Review Panel            Project Joint Review Panel
    c/o Canadian Environmental            c/o Canadian Nuclear Safety
    Assessment Agency                     Commission
    160 Elgin St, 22nd Floor              PO Box 1046, Station B
    Place Bell Canada                     280 Slater Street
    Ottawa, ON  K1A 0H3                   Ottawa, ON  K1P 5S9
    Tel.: [phone] or 1-866-582-1884  Tel.: [phone]
    Fax: [phone]                     Fax: [phone]
    E-mail:                               E-mail: [e-mail]
    [e-mail]
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The EIS, the complete Application for a Licence to Prepare a Site and the instructions for the public review period, along with additional information on this project, are available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry at www.ceaa.gc.ca, reference number 07-05-29525, and on the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Web site at www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca.

Paper or electronic copies of the documents are also available for public viewing at Ontario Power Generation's Community Kiosk, Bowmanville Mall, 243 King Street East, Bowmanville, Ontario. For locations of additional paper or electronic copies for public viewing, please contact Ontario Power Generation by phone at 1-866-487-6006, or by e-mail at [e-mail].

The Joint Review Panel will announce the date of the public hearings once it has determined that the EIS and the licence application for site preparation, together with any additional information received in response to information requests by the Panel, have adequately responded to the guidelines. The announcement and scheduling of public hearings will be made 90 days prior to the start of the hearings.

About the Project

The project is a proposal by Ontario Power Generation for the site preparation, construction, operation, decommissioning and abandonment of up to four new nuclear reactors at its existing Darlington Nuclear site located near Oshawa, Ontario, along the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the Municipality of Clarington. The project is expected to generate approximately 4800 megawatts of electricity for delivery to the Ontario grid.

About the Joint Review Panel

The Joint Review Panel for the Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project is an independent body, mandated by Minister of the Environment and the President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to assess the environmental effects of the proposed project and review the Application for a Licence to Prepare a Site.

For further information: media may contact: Annie Roy, Senior Communications Advisor, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, Tel.: [phone]; Aurèle Gervais, Media and Community Relations, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Tel.: [phone]