Licensing of Waste Remediation and Enhancement Projects at CRL: AECL's Approach and Experience

Abstract

AECL is executing a number of waste remediation projects that require regulatory approval at its Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) research site. This site has been in operation since 1946, and the purpose of the projects is to address legacy liabilities. The current set of projects varies from modest scale feasibility studies to construction of buildings and structures containing substantial nuclear processes. An internal AECL client organization oversees the projects to ensure they are completed in a timely fashion within the approved funding envelope. Most of the projects require regulatory approvals from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). A key aspect of timely project execution is the predictability of CNSC licensing reviews and approvals. AECL has been developing a regulatory certainty process to support the project management of these projects. This paper describes this trial process and the licensing experience with one of the larger projects.