Representatives from OPG, Laurentis Energy Partners, and EnergySolutions Canada, as well as the mayor of Kincardine, Kenneth Craig, cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open WCSR facility. (Photo: OPG)
Ontario Power Generation (OPG) subsidiary Laurentis Energy Partners has opened, in partnership with EnergySolutions Canada, a new 42,000-square-foot facility in Kincardine, Ontario, that will minimize waste associated with nuclear energy generation in the Canadian province, the company announced this week.
Located near OPG’s Nuclear Sustainability Services (NSS) Western Waste Management Facility, the new Western Clean Energy Sorting & Recycling Facility (WCSR) focuses on sorting low-level radioactive materials such as used worker garments, small tools, mops, and rags from OPG’s nuclear generating stations.
“This new facility will help OPG and the nuclear industry support the three Rs—reduce, reuse, recycle—and reduce our environmental footprint,” said Mark Welt, director of Western Operations for NSS. “By carefully sorting and segregating what is clean, what is recyclable, and what can be processed to reduce the volume, we can minimize the amount of nuclear materials in storage.”
The details: Employing around 25 people, the new facility will support OPG’s efforts to reduce waste volumes through processing and segregation, and by diverting more nuclear materials through methods that include reuse and recycling. OPG currently stores the materials at its NNS Western site.
The WSCR operates under EnergySolutions’ Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission license. EnergySolutions Canada also provides radiation safety compliance and management for the facility.
Construction on the WCSR began in 2022 as a collaboration between OPG, Laurentis, and Dancor Construction Ltd., with EnergySolutions Canada providing licensing support.
