Public utilities own and operate all 22 operating power reactors in Canada. The Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB), a Federal Government agency, regulates the nuclear industry in Canada and, as part of that responsibility, continually reviews the safety of power reactor operation. Canada's regulatory process is not as prescriptive as it is in many other countries. The AECB sets general requirements for reactor design, analysis and operation, and requires the licensee to develop and carry out procedures, processes and practices to meet these requirements. The primary responsibility for safety of nuclear power reactors rests with the licensee. The safety review process of the AECB covers all areas of its regulatory requirements and accommodates a two-year licence renewal cycle. Project officers located at the plant sites continually monitor operation and inspect the plant. Quality assurance, radiation protection practices, emergency plans, pressure boundary integrity, design changes, reported events and safety analyses are also continually reviewed. The review of each station's operation by AECB staff is summarized in annual reports which are available to the public. These reports are an important input into the two-yearly licence renewal process. The safety review process currently focuses on obtaining assurance that the risk to public and worker health and safety and to the environment remains within the bounds of the original licensing basis for the facility. The AECB recognizes that, to obtain the desired level of assurance of continuing safety for an ageing reactor population, its current safety review process needs to be changed. More attention has to be focused on operational safety (i.e. plant operation and maintenance) and on developing the standards and skills to do this effectively. The compliance assessment programme should be expanded to include station management processes and practices, such as maintenance strategy, configuration management and risk management.
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