In 2022, the licence for the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station (PLNGS) is set to expire and the operator, NB Power, is asking for an unprecendented 25-year licence renewal. The PLNGS is located within 100 metres of the Bay of Fundy and is Canada’s only nuclear generating station on an ocean. The Coaltion for Responsible Energy Development in New Brunswick (CRED-NB) and CELA submitted a joint intervention to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission opposing the licence request on the following grounds:

A: NB Power’s request for a 25-year licence is contrary to the public interest;

B. NB POwer’s licence application fails to consider the impact of new developments, including a potential Small Modular Reactor and reprocessing facility;

C. NB Power’s licence application relies on outdated and incomplete environmental data;

D: NB Power’s request for a 25-year licence extends beyond the operating life of the facility;

E: NB Power’s licence application fails to expressly consider climate change; and

F: NB Power’s consideration of off-site emergency planning a preparedness at Point Lepreau is insufficient to protect human health and the environment.

The hearing for NB Power’s licence renewal application will take place from May 10-12th, 2022, and the public is invited to watch.