Hydro-Québec - Sustainable Development

Managing Nuclear Power Effectively:
Maximizing the generating station's useful life
Managing radioactive waste safely

Managing Nuclear Power Effectively

Maximizing the Generating Station's Useful Life

Hydro-Québec operates just one nuclear power plant, Gentilly-2, located on the south shore of the Saint-Laurence River, 15 km from Trois-Rivières.

Gentilly-2 has only one nuclear reactor. Its generating capacity (or "installed capacity") is 675 MW. Nuclear power accounts for about 2% of the electricity generated by the company, compared with approximately 16% for all of Canada, according to the Canadian Electricity Association.

Gentilly-2 was originally supposed to operate until 2013. We are now looking at extending its useful life until 2035 and are conducting technical and environmental studies for that purpose. If the project goes ahead, the next steps would be to refurbish the station and modify its radioactive waste storage facilities.

More information on the project to refurbish Gentilly-2.
(in French only)

Some Examples and Statistics

	Operating Gentilly-2 sustains about 750 permanent and temporary jobs, related to plant maintenance and safe power generation

	It also generates approximately $100 million per year in direct economic spinoffs in the Trois-Rivières and Bécancour regions, in the form of jobs, purchases of goods and services, and support for local industry.

	We filed an updated environmental impact assessment in 2006 for a project to refurbish Gentilly-2 and modify its radioactive waste storage facilities. According to the studies, refurbishing the power plant and extending its operating life will not release significant additional quantities of radioelements or chemicals into the environment.

	The plant's refurbishment would generate estimated regional spinoffs in excess of $300 million, for a total outlay of $1.2 billion.

	Concreting of the 17 storage bunkers for low and intermediate-level radioactive waste led to the expenditure of $4.8 million in the Mauricie region in 2007 and the creation of about 60 jobs, 78% of them in the region.

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