Is the Canadian nuclear industry correct when it says that a Chernobyl-type accident is “not possible in Canada”?
No. Canada’sCANDU nuclear reactor is no safer than any other reactor design. Human error, terrorist attack or technical failure could cause ameltdown at any of Canada’s nuclear stations. Following theaccident at the American Three Mile Island nuclear station in 1979, anall-party committee of the Ontario Legislature (the Select Committee onHydro Affairs) investigated Ontario’s nuclear policies. In its 1980report to the legislature, the committee concluded that: “It is notright to say that a catastrophic accident (in a CANDU reactor) isimpossible … The worst possible accident could involve thespread of radioactive poisons over large areas, killing thousandsimmediately, killing others through increasing susceptibility tocancer, risking genetic defects that could affect future generations,and possibly contaminating, for further habitation, large land areas…
