Safety and Environmental Monitoring
Safety and generating station reliability
Hydro-Québec's absolute priority at Gentilly-2 is nuclear safety. The safety of its employees and the community depends on it. Over 25 years of operation, the generating station and waste and irradiated fuel storage have been managed extremely safely, as documented in the environmental permits received for the construction of the SRWMF.
In keeping with this safety-first philosophy, the refurbishment of Gentilly-2 generating station will meet the strict internationally approved standards set by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. This will enable Gentilly-2 to continue to operate safely for another 30 years.
Worker safety
At Hydro-Québec, employee health and safety is of paramount importance. Each of the 800 employees who work at Gentilly-2 follows a strict operational framework of safety measures that emphasizes individual commitment and teamwork in the protection of public health and the environment.
The safety of employees responsible for the operation and refurbishment of the generating station is managed in compliance with all applicable standards, regulations and laws and in accordance with the ALARA principle of minimizing risk as much as reasonably achievable.
The same safety measures apply to employees of contractors working on the site, who are required to attend applicable training sessions on subjects such as radiation protection and health and safety.
In addition, during the refurbishment, radiation protection and safety personnel will ensure that all work complies with applicable regulations.
Did you know?
ALARA is an acronym for As Low As Reasonably Achievable. According to the ALARA principle, human and environmental exposure to ionizing radiation must be as low as reasonably possible in the light of various imperatives, including financial and social factors. It is one of the basic principles of radiation protection.
Protecting the environment: a constant concern
Hydro-Québec has established an environmental compliance monitoring and follow-up program for the construction and operation of the SRWMF and for the generating station refurbishment.
During the refurbishment, worksite mitigation measures - notably for the management of contaminated water and waste - will be enforced both inside and outside the power plant.
Plant and animal life in the generating station's discharge canal will be monitored as well as aspects of the region's human environment, including economic benefits, public health and safety, traffic, ambient sound and fishing. This monitoring will verify the true magnitude of the impacts of the refurbishment, effectiveness of mitigation measures and effects of a long-term planned shutdown of the generating station.
