Nuclear watchdog poised to intervene
Officials of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission told a regular public meeting that contingency plans are being drawn up based on emergency provisions in the federal nuclear control law.
An emergency provision of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act says the regulator may "make any order that it considers necessary to protect the environment or the health and safety of persons or to maintain national security."
"We're looking at measures that are available to us for continued safe operations and to deal with emergencies," said Paul Webster, acting chief of power reaction regulation. Asked for details, he gave none.
Commission staff cited recent picketing during a Darlington nuclear plant shift change that backed up traffic at its gate for several kilometres.
Emergency vehicles would have had "considerable difficulty" reaching the station's four Candu reactors if something had gone wrong, said Garry Schwarz, the commission official who oversees Darlington.
The pickets belong to the Society of Energy Professionals at Hydro One, Ontario's energy distributor. Unionized nuclear plant staff are not on strike.
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International Atomic Energy Agency agency commends China's nuclear security
BEIJING - The International Atomic Energy Agency commended China's efforts and accomplishments in nuclear security after conducting its first nuclear security advisory mission to the nation, according to the China Atomic Energy Authority.
The two-week International Physical Protection Advisory Service mission, from Aug 28to Saturday, reviewed the legislative and regulatory framework for nuclear security as well as the physical protection of nuclear material and facilities.
An eight-member expert team led by Joseph Sandoval of the United States' Sandia National Laboratories visited Fangjiashan Nuclear Power Plant, part of the Qinshan Nuclear Power Station in Zhejiang province, to examine security arrangements and observe physical protection measures.
The experts also met with officials from several Chinese government bodies involved in…
