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Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) staff have recommended to the nuclear safety agency that SRB Technologies be permitted to again process tritium for the manufacturing of its gaseous light sources.
The recommendation was made Thursday during the first of two public hearings into SRBT’s request to have its current possession licence changed to allow tritium processing.
At the public hearing held in Ottawa, SRBT presented its case to the commission which was followed by a presentation from the commission’s staff.
“We requested that the commission allow resumption of operations of the facility including the processing of tritium for a period of two years,” said SRBT president Stephane Levesque. “We felt that the hearing went well and we believe that we have demonstrated to the commission that we have made a number of improvements that ensure our company will make adequate provisions to ensure the protection of the environment and the public.”
The commission turned down the company’s application for an operating licence renewal in January 2007, instead issuing an amended licence in May that allowed the company to receive tritium-filled light sources from other facilities that it could sell to its customers.
This allowed the company to stay in business while it sought to make changes to its operation to bring it in line with commission recommendations. About two-thirds of its regular labour force of about 40 people was laid off because of the restricted operation.
Currently, SRBT employs 15 people.
In its report to the commission, CNSC staff rated SRBT as “meeting requirements” in the safety areas of environmental protection, radiation protection, fire protection, quality assurance, operations and security.
“CNSC staff concludes that positive steps have been taken by SRBT to address the commission’s concerns raised after the hearing for the licence renewal in 2006,” the report stated.
Mr. Levesque said that the commission asked a number of questions during the hearing about the company’s plan to incrementally increase the funds SRBT has in escrow to cover the full cost of decommissioning the Pembroke plant should such a move be required some day.
According to Mr. Levesque, receiving a processing licence would give SRBT the financial capability to gradually fund the balance of the $550,476 decommissioning cost by December, 2012.
One major area of concern to the commission was the contamination of ground water below the SRBT facility and whether or not it could be leaching outwards away from the plant.
According to the CNSC staff report, SRBT demonstrated an understanding of the surface and ground water flow system near the facility.
“Based on the assessment in each area, CNSC staff concludes, that if SRBT is issued an operating licence as proposed, SRBT will limit the risk to the workers and the public to a reasonable level and will make adequate provision for the health and safety of persons, the protection of the environment, the maintenance of national security, and will take measures required to implement international obligations to which Canada has agreed,” the staff report stated.
Staff recommended to the commission that it approve a nuclear substance processing facility operating licence to authorize SRBT to resume operation of its facility to process and to use tritium for its light sources for a two-year period.
Thursday’s hearing was the first of two public hearings into SRBT’s application to resume processing tritium.
The second hearing will take place in the CNSC public hearing room in Ottawa on June 12.
Members of the public can comment on SRBT’s application on the second day of the hearing. Requests to intervene must be filed with the commission’s secretary by May 12.
adixon@thedailyobserver.ca
Article ID# 973265