If you live in New Brunswick, you rely on the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station for power. Now, a radioactive heavy water leak has forced the facility offline. NB Power has not provided a timeline for when the plant will resume generating electricity for your home.

The Details of the Leak

NB Power initially announced the shutdown on September 14 to repair a small instrumentation line inside the reactor building. They did not mention radioactive material at the time. On Monday, the utility confirmed to CTV Atlantic that about 200 litres of heavy water leaked into a containment area. Heavy water becomes radioactive within the heat transport system of a nuclear plant.

NB Power states there is no risk to worker safety, the public, or the environment. Point Lepreau deputy vice president Joel Armstrong explains the reactor supports four steam generators. These generators transport heat out of the reactor core to turn the site turbines.

“The system that takes the heat from our reactor and transports it to the steam generators is the one that we have been waiting for a repair on, and that is the heat transport system,” Armstrong says. He notes the leak occurred on an instrument line that monitors the system, rather than a main process line.

Safety and Transparency

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission learned of the leak on September 10. Commission spokesperson Sarah Dolan confirmed site inspectors are permanently stationed at the plant.

“There has been no impact on the safety of workers, the public or the environment, and no workers have been reported to have received radiation doses above regulatory limits,” Dolan says.

When asked about the delayed public disclosure regarding radioactivity, Armstrong says crews needed time to validate the leak source and safely access the area.

“Part of the complexity of this repair has been access to the repair location,” Armstrong says. Crews had to facilitate an orderly shutdown and construct scaffolding just to reach the site.

A Pattern of Shutdowns

This shutdown follows a series of recent outages. The plant returned to operation on August 19 after a planned four month outage. It went offline a week later to repair a turbine system gasket. It reconnected on September 8, only to shut down days later for this heavy water leak.

Fundy Shores Mayor George Cogswell says these shutdowns are familiar to local residents. He questions the ongoing investment in the aging facility.

“I think we are spending more money on breakdowns, when we could just be putting it into whether it is another large scale model reactor or small modular reactors,” Cogswell says.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the public at risk from the radioactive leak?

No. NB Power and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission confirm there is no risk to the public, workers, or the environment.

How much heavy water leaked?

Approximately 200 litres of heavy water leaked into a designed containment area inside the reactor building.

When will Point Lepreau generate power again?

NB Power has not provided a definitive timeline. Crews are taking the necessary time to ensure they address the leak properly.