Draft Details

1.1 Facilities

1.1.1 Types of facilities

This Guideline addresses the I&E monitoring and assessment programs for nuclear facilities.

Notes:

1) In this Guideline, any type of nuclear facility is included in the term “nuclear facilities.”

2) I&E monitoring and assessment programs might not be appropriate for all nuclear facilities. This Guideline is intended primarily for high-water users and facilities where species at risk might be present, and the applicability of this Guideline would be determined by the user in conjunction with the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).

3) Nuclear facilities include cooling and process types of facilities. The technique to be used for I&E can vary among these types of facilities. Figure 1 illustrates how a potential user might determine the applicability of this Guideline, depending on whether the facility has a cooling water intake structure (CWIS) or process water intake structure (PWIS).

4) AHJ direction on application for I&E can vary and might depend on the facility’s type of cooling, the presence of species at risk, and the type of mitigation in place at the screen.

5) Drinking water intake structures are commonly beyond the scope of this Guideline.

6) This Guideline might not apply to temporary intake structures; applicability can be determined with the AHJ.

7) For facilities with extraction rates less than 125 L/s, I&E monitoring might not be needed if mitigation measures consistent with the DFO’s Interim code of practice: end-of-pipe fish protection screens for small water intakes in freshwater are used. Further detail is provided in Figure 1.

1.1.2 Facility lifecycle

1.1.2.1 Operations phase

The I&E program is intended to be used during the operations phase and can function in other phases, as applicable.

1.1.2.2 Operational phases

Consideration of this Guideline, or components of this Guideline as applicable, can be included during the following phases of a facility lifecycle:

a) construction;

b) commissioning and other pre-operational tasks;

c) operations (including outages and refurbishment); and

d) decommissioning (including storage with surveillance).

Notes:

1) The details of an I&E monitoring program might change over the lifecycle of the facility.

2) Because there are likely no fish impingement or entrainment issues during post-decommissioning, this Guideline is not applicable during post-decommissioning.

1.2 Operating conditions

This Guideline is applicable during normal operations of a nuclear facility.

Notes:

1) This Guideline is not applicable during accident or emergency scenarios, although some parts of this Guideline might be useful. In these cases, the user determines the applicability of the guidance.

2) Documentation of changes in operational conditions (e.g., outage or refurbishment periods when there is substantially less or no water intake) will help explain changes in I&E observed.

1.3 Methods of data analysis

This Guideline provides guidance on methods of collecting and analyzing data relevant to I&E of fish. It does not provide guidance on the acceptability of the effects or on the mitigation of the effects.

Notes:

1) Establishing how the data could be used in assessing significance of effects and what mitigation options might be available or already in place will improve the usefulness of the output of the I&E program.

2) The user of this Guideline is responsible for determining what data analysis and interpretation is necessary to confirm compliance with all statutes, regulations, licences, or permits that govern the operation of the nuclear facility.

1.4 Terminology

In this Guideline, “should” is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and “may” is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of this Guideline. This document provides guidance only and there are no requirements indicated within the document.