A deep geologic repository built near the Bruce Power nuclear plant is being proposed to store nuclear waste deep underground.Last week, Ignace, Ont., a town 250 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay, indicated its support to host a deep geological repository for spent nuclear fuel. In a demonstration of deliberative democracy, the town struck a “Willingness Committee” to canvass citizens and conduct a vote through a combination of online, curbside and home visits.
. This should be acknowledged and promoted as we think about what our future energy systems should look like. Screening based on technical and safety suitability, as well as likely support of the host communities, narrowed the candidates down to two potential sites, each with an affected municipality and a First Nation: Ignace and Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation near the Ontario-Manitoba border, and Saugeen Ojibway Nation and South Bruce near the Bruce nuclear station.
The task the NWMO and its community partners are assuming is in some ways mind-boggling. They are taking care of our spent fuel not only for the next generation, but for the next civilization. The plan for where to store the nuclear waste is not measured in centuries; the chosen location must be suitable for geological epochs.