Accidents at Lepreau? Emergency responders assure nuclear regulator they're prepared
CBC
Emergency responders gave their assurances Wednesday that southern New Brunswick is fully prepared to respond to any kind of accident at the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station, located approximately 40 km southwest of Saint John.
It was the second day of public hearings before the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, which must decide whether to grant N.B. Power a 25-year renewal on Lepreau's operating licence.
"We have a very robust emergency management capability," said Greg MacCallum, director of the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization. "We have all the capacity we need to deal with whatever comes our way."
NB-EMO said it is well prepared to distribute potassium iodide pills and has recently increased its stockpile to more than 100,00 tablets.
When taken as directed, they protect the thyroid gland from absorbing radioactive iodine that may be released as a result of a nuclear accident.
Pills are now stored across 16 locations, including community centres and RCMP stations. For those who live within 57 km of the power plant and want to have pills on hand, EMO says they can mail them out or deliver them to the door.
Bill Boutin, of Maces Bay, says he delivers pills in his role as warden for EMO, a position he's held for the past three years.
"And in that time, I've not encountered anybody who has expressed concerns at all about living next to a nuclear power plant," he said.
"In addition to that, which is kind of cool, those newcomers that I've got to … they've been made aware of all the issues from their neighbours who have told them, 'Don't worry about it. It's safe. Everything's good to go."
Boutin says that's a reflection of the good communication that is happening between N.B. Power and the community.
It was something that came up during his presentation on behalf of the 100 members of the Fundy Bay Senior Citizens Club. Boutin said the club endorses a 25-year renewal.
N.B. Power is required to conduct a full-scale emergency exercise every three years as a condition of its operating licence. Last year, the utility and NB-EMO, along with government and non-government agencies, simulated a nuclear emergency caused by a cyber incident.
N.B. Power says the computer systems that control the nuclear operations in the plant are isolated and can't be hacked.
But in last October's fictitious scenario, communications were compromised and threatened to impact power to the plant, which in turn, could have triggered a more conventional nuclear emergency, said MacCallum.
About that heartbreaking loss to the U.S. at the 2026 Olympic women's hockey final last month, Sarah Nurse says, “that was the most fun I’ve had in a hockey game in a very long time.”
The U.S. government on Monday said electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla and South Korea's LG Energy Solution had signed a supply agreement to build a $4.3 billion lithium iron phosphate (LFP) prismatic battery cell manufacturing facility in Lansing, Mich., with an expected production launch in 2027.
In one small town in Alberta, the assistant principal says teachers almost never meet alone with parents anymore.
Tens of thousands of customers are without power and four parts of Highway 401 are closed Tuesday morning as blasts of blowing snow hit the Ottawa-Gatineau area.
Melody Macsemchuk says volunteers at Grace Place in Thunder Bay, Ont., serve between 300 and 350 meals a day.
Groups of volunteers continue to search alongside police for a man who went missing in late January near Owen Sound, Ont., covering land on foot, and using drones for a view of the conservation area where his car was found.
Jessica Hay says her daughter Charlie loves to be included in everything — and a new accessible shopping cart at her local grocery store in Cornwall makes it possible for Charlie to come along for the ride.
The N.W.T. cabinet says it will review whether or not the territory needs an independent child and youth advocate after a motion by Range Lake MLA Kieron Testart calling on it to establish such a position was carried in the legislative assembly.
From affordable housing in Alberta to high taxes in Quebec, there are many widely accepted claims about the cost of living in different parts of the country. But are these preconceptions accurate?
An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) report examining the conduct of investigators from a high-profile murder trial into the death of a Toronto police officer where a judge accused responding officers of lying and collusion is expected to be unveiled Tuesday.
While U.S. President Donald Trump tries to convince allies to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, he is also sending 2,500 marines to the region — the first deployment of U.S. troops since it and Israel first attacked Iran on Feb. 28.
Management with the Southern Shore Breakers junior hockey team say the suspensions handed out following a March 7 rumble at the Goulds Arena in St. John's are excessive, and plan to appeal the discipline with Hockey NL.
On Hollywood's biggest night, newly crowned Oscar winner Tamara Deverell used her time in the spotlight to condemn the Nova Scotia government for cutting millions of dollars of support to the province's arts sector in this year's budget.