Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station

Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station is a nuclear power station located in Bécancour, Quebec, Canada. The station was commissioned in 1983 and decommissioned in 2012. It was operated by Hydro-Québec, a government-owned public utility that manages the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in Quebec.

History

The construction of the Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station began in 1966, with the first unit, Gentilly-1, being a boiling water reactor supplied by General Electric. However, due to technical problems, it was shut down in 1977. The second unit, Gentilly-2, was a CANDU reactor supplied by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL). It began commercial operation in 1983.

Decommissioning

In 2012, the Quebec government announced the closure of the Gentilly-2 reactor, citing economic and safety reasons. The decommissioning process began in 2013 and is expected to take several decades to complete. The spent nuclear fuel is stored on-site in dry storage containers.

Environmental Impact

The Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station has been subject to several environmental assessments over the years. Concerns have been raised about the potential impact of the station on the local environment, particularly in relation to the disposal of nuclear waste.

See Also

• Nuclear power in Canada
• List of power stations in Quebec
• List of CANDU reactors

References

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