Chapter 5 - The Actors: Heroes and Villains, but Who's Who?

Wartime activities, first at Montreal and later at Chalk River in Ontario, had been conducted under the aegis of the NRC, and this arrangement continued in the immediate post-war period. In 1946 the Atomic Energy Control (AEC) Act designated nuclear energy as an area of federal responsibility, even though health protection and energy use are provincial responsibilities, and established the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) as the regulatory body. The NRC retained responsibility for the research and development (R&D), but reporting to the AECB. By 1952 it was apparent that the R&D was becoming focused on nuclear energy as a source of electricity, and the federal government separated the two distinct functions: the AECB remained the regulator while a new federal crown corporation, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), was assigned the responsibility for the development of nuclear applications for the benefit of Canadians.

The original development and design of what were later termed CANDU reactors was undertaken jointly by AECL, Ontario's electrical utility, a provincial crown corporation known as Ontario Hydro (OH), and Canadian General Electric (CGE). Subsequently, CGE dropped out of the joint development but remained a supplier of components from fuel bundles to fuelling machines; OH assumed responsibility for the design and operation of its own reactors, contracting design and support services to AECL; later two other provincial utilities, New Brunswick Power and Hydro-Quebec, built and operated CANDU reactors designed by AECL; AECL remained responsible for marketing abroad and for ongoing development of the whole CANDU system. More recently AECL and the relevant companies formed the Organization of CANDU Industries (OCI) to offer one-stop shopping for CANDU reactors. Worldwide, there are 27 CANDU reactors in five countries.

Technical cooperation between the various utilities operating CANDU reactors in Canada and abroad and AECL as the designer and developer is coordinated through the CANDU Operators Group (COG). In Canada, the Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA) represents the industry as a whole, organizes technical meetings and acts as a proponent of nuclear energy in public relations and at inquiries. A companion organization, the Canadian Nuclear Society (CNS) consists of individual scientists and engineers with interests similar to the corporate ones of the CNA.

At the international level the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a United Nations agency, with over one hundred member countries, is the foremost organization. Also important is the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

All these organizations, with the exception of the regulator, the AECB, act as proponents of nuclear energy. On the other side are the opponents and critics, most notable of which in Canada are Energy Probe and the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility (CCNR). A book, "The Anti-Nuclear Game", by Gordon Sims provides a good review of the arguments for and against nuclear energy. The websites on the internet of these organizations constitute a useful source of information. Also included are a very informative website due to Dr. Jeremy Whitlock, and a few others. Francophones can find a paper "La problématique des déchets nucléaires" by Daniel Rozon, professeur titulaire at l'Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal, on the Internet at www.polymtl.ca/nucleaire/docs/documents/BAPE_DR_V2.pdf

In 1997 the federal parliament passed the Nuclear Safety and Control Act to replace the old Atomic Energy Control Act. It became effective when proclaimed in 2000. This established the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) as the successor to the AECB, making it clear both in legislation and by name that the body has no responsibility for the developmental or promotional aspects of nuclear energy. Hitherto, surveys had shown that there was confusion between AECB and AECL in members of the public. In what follows, "CNSC" is used to describe both the previous AECB and the current CNSC. In 1999 Ontario Hydro was split up by act of the Ontario Legislature. Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Inc. inherited responsibility for owning and operating the nuclear plants. Later, OPG, in response to a requirement of the Ontario Government to reduce its share of electrical generating capacity in a deregulated regime, leased the Bruce Generating Station to Bruce Power. In 2011 The Canadian Government sold that part of AECL concerned with the CANDU reactors to a Canadian engineering company, SNC Lavalin, where it was established as a subsidiary, CANDU Energy Inc.. The other part, the Nuclear Laboratories at Chalk River, Ontario, remained in public ownership pending further Government decisions.

Abbreviations

Technical Terms

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