Laurentis Energy Partners plans to build an innovative, 42,000-square-foot Western Clean-Energy Sorting and Recycling (WCSR) facility at the Bruce Energy Centre industrial park in 2022, to be operated by Ontario Power Generation (OPG).
The WCSR will use innovations explored through a current research project between Laurentis and McMaster University, which is testing new methods and technologies to sort and divert more nuclear by products to re-use and recycling.
“Building on the successes to-date from our research initiative in Hamilton, Laurentis is pleased to expand our presence in Bruce County and support this project by delivering a building and equipment that will meet OPG’s need for efficient, advanced and innovative sorting of nuclear materials,” said Brad Ellsworth, Project Manager at Laurentis. “By sharing our expertise, we can continue our mission of advancing nuclear-energy innovations and environmental solutions across the nuclear industry.”
The facility’s benefit will be environmental – improved sorting and increased processing means OPG would require fewer buildings than it would otherwise, at the Bruce site, to store nuclear by-products.
“This new facility represents an opportunity to support the three Rs and reduce our environmental footprint,” said Jason Wooland, Director of Western Operations for OPG’s Nuclear Sustainability Services.
“We can minimize the amount of nuclear by-products in storage, by carefully sorting and segregating what is clean, what is recyclable, and what can be processed to reduce the volume. That’s good news for the environment – and it’s resulting new jobs in Kincardine.”
Pending the necessary approvals, the facility will be up and running in 2022, employing approximately 25 people.
“The WCSR is yet another example of nuclear excellence and innovation in our community,” said Municipality of Kincardine Mayor Gerry Glover. “Congratulations to OPG and Laurentis for continuously striving to improve. Thank you for supporting the local economy and creating jobs.”
The WCSR project is an initiative of OPG’s Nuclear Sustainability Services, formerly called the Nuclear Waste Management division. Laurentis Energy Partners will be designing and developing the facility and working with Dancor Construction Ltd. for execution. For more information about this project, click here.
