HomeMy WebLinkAboutESD-010-01
. .
'-~'
REPORT II 3
Cl~-!llglon
r
Meeting:
Date:
REPORT
EMERGENCY AND FIRE SERVICES
COUNCIL
December 12, 2001
Report#: ESD-010-01
File # 10.12.6
By-law #
Subject:
NUCLEAR EMERGENCY PUBLIC ALERTING
Recommendations:
It is respectfully recommended:
1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
5.)
Submitted by:
MGC:sr
THAT Report ESD-010-01 be received;
THAT Council endorse the Duke Engineering preliminary design report for
the Contiguous Zone for the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station:
THAT Council reaffirm its position on public alerting for the entire Primary
Zone and that the Interim Provincial Nuclear Plan be amended to
incorporate this provision;
THAT Council endorse the Regional report on Public Alerting, passed by
the Finance and Administration Committee November 28, 2001, and its
recommendations (Attachment 1); and
THAT Regional Council is advised.
~fY-tL..L~--C::Z
Reviewed by: U "-
Michael . reigh n, AMCT, MM11 Franklin Wu, M.C.I.P.
Director Emergency & Fire Services Chief Administrative Officer
REPORT NO.: ESD-010-01
PAGE 2
BACKGROUND AND COMMENT
As Council is aware, staff has been working with Regional staff, as well as the Regional
Municipalities, Ontario Power Generation and Emergency Measures Ontario to address
concerns related to the lack of a proper public alerting process for Darlington-Pickering
nuclear facilities.
To this end, Duke Engineering was hired to review the needs and recommend solutions.
Duke prepared a report that was reviewed and endorsed by both the working group as
well as the Steering Committee. The report lays out plans to adequately address the
alerting of the residents and businesses in the Contiguous Zone as well as make some
recommendations for the Primary Zone. The recommendations address both outdoor
and indoor alerting, and the cost implications for both.
Ontario Power Generation has committed to providing the funding for the capital costs as
well as ongoing maintenance costs for the Contiguous Zone only at this time. Following
the approval of the local Municipalities and the Region, Duke will proceed with the final
design, equipment acquisition and system implementation.
With regard to the 3-10 km Primary Zone, the Province has not yet agreed to the need
for alerting and Ontario Power Generation has not agreed to funding. Council should
advise the Province of its continued resolve that the 3-10 km Primary Zone requires
alerting and that it should be funded in the same manner the 3 km Contiguous Zone has
been addressed.
Council's endorsement of the Duke design and Ontario Power Generation's commitment
to the Contiguous Zone will ensure its timely implementation without negating its
commitment for the Primary Zone. This will be ensured by Council's endorsement of the
Regional report.
Attachments:
Attachment #1: Region of Durham Report Entitled Nuclear Emergency Public Alerting
Implementation Design Reports
The Regional Municipality of Durham
To: The Finance and Administration Committee
From: Director of Emergency Measures
Report No:
Date: 28 November 2001
Subiect
Nuclear Emergency Public Alerting - Implementation Design Reports
Recommendation
That the Finance and Administration Committee recommend to Council:
A. That the Duke Engineering Preliminary Contiguous Zone Design Reports
be endorsed as the basis for implementing a public alerting system for the
3 km Pickering and Darlington Contiguous Zones;
B. That Council reaffirm its commitment to public alerting for the entire 10 km
Primary Zone around each nuclear station and that the Interim Provincial
Nuclear Emergency Plan be amended to incorporate this provision;
C. That the Duke Engineering Preliminary Primary Zone Design Reports be
endorsed as the basis for implementing a public alerting system for the 3 -
10 km zone. However, based on options provided in the Duke Primary
Zone reports, the Province be advised that Council is open to other options
for alerting so long as the intent of alerting the public in the entire Primary
Zone is met and that funding for this alerting not fall to the Region or local
area municipalities; and
D. That this report be forwarded to the Solicitor General and Minister of
Correctional Services and that the Minister be urged to accept the Duke
Engineering Contiguous Zone reports so that implementation can begin
immediately, and further, that the Minister either accept the Duke Primary
Zone reports or propose an alternate solution so that p~blic alerting can be
extended to the entire Primary Zone.
Report
BACKGROUND
PNEP Standard. The Provincial Nuclear Emergency Plan (PNEP) (Interim 1999)
provides for public alerting in the 3 km "Contiguous Zone" around each nuclear
installation.
Reqion Responsibilitv. Under the PNEP the Region is responsible for the
implementation of measures to protect the public from exposure to a radioactive
plume within a 10 km "detailed planning" zone around each station. To effectively
implement these protective measures, including evacuation, the public must be
alerted or warned that a serious accident has occurred at a station.
Council Resolutions. In the spring of 1998, Regional Council and the Councils of
local area municipalities passed resolutions calling for public alerting to be
extended to the 10 km Primary Zone. In January 2000, a consulting firm, Lapp-
Hancock, was hired by the Province to examine technologies and costs for
implementing public alerting to 10 km. In June 2000, Regional Council and
Councils of local area municipalities endorsed the findings of this report that
recommended a siren system for outdoor alerting and a choice or combination of
technologies for indoor alerting. Council again requested that public alerting be
extended to the entire 10 km zone.
Public AlertinQ Proiect. Following another meeting of Regional and other
stakeholders in July 2000, the Durham Emergency Measures Office (DEMO)
developed a project plan to put public alerting systems in place. Duke
Engineering & Services was chosen to design and then manage the procurement
of a public alerting system for the 3 km zones. Installation will only begin after
approval by local area municipalities. For the 3 - 10 km zones, Duke Engineering
was to prepare design reports using the current PNEP standard for the 3 km zone.
Ontario Power Generation funded the design reports by Duke Engineering.
DUKE ENGINEERING PRELIMINARY DESIGN REPORTS
Duke Engineering assembled a Project Team of acoustic, communications and
emergency preparedness specialists and began work in July. Data collection
included demographics, electrical distribution systems, topography and land use.
Team members performed ambient noise level measurements and sited actual
siren locations.
Enclosed with this agenda are four preliminary public alerting design reports for
outdoor and indoor alerting submitted by Duke Engineering in October:
. Darlington Contiguous Zone (3 km)
. Pickering Contiguous Zone (3 km)
. Darlington Primary Zone (3 -10 km)
. Pickering Primary Zone (3 -10 km)
The Public Alerting Steering Committee, composed of Chief Administrative
Officers of affected municipalities and senior representatives from Emergency
Measures Ontario, City of Toronto and Ontario Power Generation (OPG), met with
the Duke Engineering team on 15 November to discuss the preliminary reports.
There was agreement by Regional representatives that the reports would be taken
to respective Councils for approval.
Outdoor Alertino. Duke Engineering considered two options for outdoor alerting:
High power pole mounted sirens and low power pole mounted sirens. Fewer high
power sirens would be required but because of the power requirements, there is
no battery backup capability. The Duke Team is of the opinion that the siren
alerting system must be capable of functioning independently of the electrical grid.
The Team is also of the opinion that public acceptance of the system will be
enhanced by the assurance that the system can and will function during a loss of
power. As a consequence, Duke recommends low power mechanical sirens for
outdoor public alerting. Sirens are mounted on separate poles for ease of access
and maintenance.
Indoor Alertinq. Duke Engineering considered two options for indoor alerting for
homes, businesses and institutions. Both options are essentially an indoor tone
. alert system, not unlike a smoke detector. One system is activated by radio, the
other by the telephone system. Both have backup batteries. Because it is new
technology and does not have a proven track record, the Duke Team rejected the
telephone-based system. For indoor alerting Duke recommends a radio based
tone alert radio system. The indoor tone alert radios would be activated
simultaneously and by the same signal as for the outdoor siren system.
THE 3 KM CONTIGUOUS ZONE REPORTS
Pickerinq Contiquous Zone (CZ). For the Pickering CZ (population approximately
16,260), the Duke Team recommends 29 low power mechanical sirens and 6,000
tone alert radios and 300 special units for the hearing impaired. Total estimated
cost of equipment acquisition and installation is $1,326,650 Cdn. (See page 22 of
the CZ report for a summary of costs and page 25 with maps for siren locations).
OPG has presented no objections to the funding of the capital costs and
maintenance of this system based on the preliminary report.
Darlinqton Contiouous Zone. For the Darlington CZ (population approximately
235), the Duke Team recommends 17 low power mechanical sirens and 100 tone
alert radios with 5 special units. Total estimated cost of the equipment acquisition
and installation is $581,050 Cdn. (See page 22 of the CZ report for a summary of
costs and page 25 with maps for siren locations). Again, OPG has no objections
to funding based on this preliminary report.
THE PRIMARY ZONE REPORTS (3 - 10 KM)
Pickerino Primary Zone (PZ). For the 3 - 10 km area of the PZ (population
approximately 194,646), the Duke Team recommends 113 low power sirens and
68,500 tone alert radios with 3,500 special units. Total estimated cost is
$8,285,300 Cdn. (See page 25 of the PZ report for the cost summary and page
32 with maps for siren locations).
Darlinoton Primary Zone. For the 3 - 10 km area of the PZ (population 105,658),
the Duke Team recommends 105 low power sirens and 37,500 tone alert radios
with 1,879 special units. Total estimated cost is $5,416,500 Cdn. (See page 25
for cost estimates and page 32 with maps for siren locations).
Other Options. There is no PNEP standard for public alerting in the 3 -10 km
area of the Primary Zone. For this project, Duke Engineering was instructed to
design a system using the PNEP standard for the Contiguous Zone. Recognizing
that this is a conservative approach, the Duke Team discussed opportunities to
achieve the desired results in a more cost effective manner.
The Duke Team pointed out that the U.S. standard for public alerting apply only to
outdoor areas. Relaxing the indoor alerting requirement for the Primary Zone will
result in significant savings. As an altemative to relaxing the standard for indoor
alerting completely, indoor alerting devices can be selectively distributed in the PZ
to supplement the outdoor siren system. This selective distribution can be limited
to areas where siren coverage is marginalized by relaxation of the siren coverage
standard and to special facilities such as schools.
THE WAY AHEAD
The Province has set out a standard for public alerting in the 3 km Contiguous
Zones. Based on this standard, Duke Engineering has produced a preliminary
design for indoor and outdoor systems. Ontario Power Generation is committed to
provide funding for public alerting in the 3 km zone and has not objected to the
Duke Engineering preliminary design. Following approval by local municipal and
Regional Councils, Duke Engineering will proceed with the final design, and then
equipment acquisition and system implementation.
Regarding the 3 - 10 km area of the Primary Zone, the Province has not yet
agreed to the need for public alerting and OPG has not agreed to any funding.
However, as noted earlier, the Region is responsible for protecting the public
against exposure to a radioactive plume by implementing protective measures,
including evacuation, out to the entire 10 km Primary Zone. The Duke
Engineering Team has designed an alerting system for the 3 - 10 km zone based,
as pointed out earlier, "on a conservative approach". A PNEP standard for public
alerting in the 3 - 10 km zone is required. Should the Province relax aspects of
the standard for the 3 - 10 km zone, the Duke Team felt the desired results could
be achieved in a more cost effective manner.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the above, it is recommended that the Finance and Administration
Committee recommend to Council:
. that the Duke Engineering Preliminary CZ Design Reports be endorsed as
the basis for implementing a public alerting system for the 3 km Pickering
and Darlington Contiguous Zones;
. that Council reaffirm its commitment to public alerting for the entire 10 km
Primary Zone around each nuclear station and that the Interim Provincial
Nuclear Emergency Plan be amended to incorporate this provision;
. that the Duke Engineering Preliminary PZ Design Reports be endorsed as
the basis for implementing a public alerting system for the 3 - 10 km zone.
However, based on options provided in the Duke PZ reports, the Province
be advised that Council is open to other options for alerting so long as the
intent of alerting the public in the entire Primary Zone is met and that
funding for this alerting not fall to the Region or local area municipalities;
and
. that this report be forwarded to the Solicitor General and Minister of
Correctional Services and that the Minister be urged to accept the Duke CZ
reports so that implementation can begin immediately, and further, that the
Minister either accept the Duke PZ reports or propose an alternate solution
so that, for the health and safety of our citizens, public alerting is extended
to the entire Primary Zone.
Respectfully submitted for your approval.
Ivan Ciuciura
Director of Emergency Measures
Recommended for presentation to Committee.
Garry H. Cubitt, M.S.w.
Chief Administrative Officer