Canada’s Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has entered into a co-operation and knowledge sharing agreement with its Japanese counterpart, Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan (NUMO). NWMO’s President and CEO Laurie Swami signed the co-operation agreement with Dr. Shunsuke Kondo, NUMO President, Thursday, June 22nd, at the NWMO’s Toronto headquarters.

“This agreement, the seventh of its kind between the NWMO and international waste management organizations, is an important example of the homegrown Canadian research and innovation that is in demand around the world,” says Ms. Swami. “Since the NWMO was founded 15 years ago, we’ve been pleased to work with both specialists and the public, in Canada and around the world to advance the safe, long-term management of used nuclear fuel.”

The Japanese organization is interested in the NWMO’s copper coating program as a promising option for use in its container development program. As one component of the NWMO’s multiple-barrier system, the NWMO has developed advanced copper coating techniques as a barrier against corrosion in the used fuel container designed for use in a deep geological repository.

In addition to signing the co-operation agreement, Dr. Kondo and a number of his colleagues toured the NWMO’s Oakville test facility where Canadian scientists and engineers rigorously test elements of the multiple-barrier system.

The NWMO’s partnership with NUMO further demonstrates the Canadian organization’s commitment to co-operate with other organizations and share leading practices for safely managing used nuclear fuel. Other co-operation agreements are already in place with France, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, the UK and South Korea.

About the NWMO

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is implementing Canada’s plan for the long-term management of used nuclear fuel. The organization was created in 2002 by Canada’s nuclear electricity producers. Ontario Power Generation Inc., NB Power Nuclear and Hydro-Québec are the founding members, and along with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, fund the NWMO’s operations. The NWMO operates on a not-for-profit basis and derives its mandate from the Federal Nuclear Fuel Waste Act.

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For More Information:

Lisa Frizzell
Vice-President Stakeholder Relations
lfrizzell@nwmo.ca
647.259.3012