Our nuclear operating licences

Status:  Currently, Darlington Nuclear is undergoing a multi-year refurbishment to safely extend operations for another 30 years. Learn more about the Darlington Refurbishment project.

Licenced valid from:  Jan. 1, 2016 to Nov. 30, 2025

Updates:  OPG has submitted a request to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for a Darlington Nuclear Licence Amendment for the purposes of permitting production of the isotope Cobalt-60 (Co-60). Cobalt-60 is a radioisotope that has a range of beneficial industrial, medical and food processing applications and is harvested during planned outages from the irradiated reactor components.

• NK38-CORR-00531-23462 P - Application for DNGS Power Reactor Operating Licence 13.03/2025 Amendment for Production of the Cobalt-60 Radioisotope (PDF)

OPG has submitted a request to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for a Darlington Nuclear Licence Amendment for the purpose of permitting production of the isotope Molybdenum-99. Related documents include:

• NK38-CORR-00531-22275 - Darlington NGS – Molybdenum-99: Addendum to the Request for Amendment to the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station Power Reactor Operating Licence 13.02/2025 (PDF)
• NK38-CORR-00531-21744 - Darlington NGS – Molybdenum-99: Updated Request for Amendment to the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station Power Reactor Operating Licence 13.02/2025 (PDF)
• NK38-CORR-00531-20359 - Darlington NGS - Application for Darlington Nuclear Generating Station Power Reactor Operating Licence 13.01/2025 Amendment (PDF)

To read more about our current Darlington licences, visit the OPG Document Archive.

Status: The current Pickering Nuclear Generating Station (NGS) operating licence includes operations to the end of 2024, followed by safe storage activities ending in 2028.

In 2018, OPG was granted a 10-year power reactor operating licence (PROL) for Pickering NGS for the period of Aug. 31, 2018 to Aug. 31, 2028. As documented in the Record of Decision, the Commission directed OPG to present a mid-term update on its licensed activities at the Pickering NGS, around the mid-point of the 10-year licence period and no later than 2023. This update was presented to the Commission in a public hearing on Dec. 13, 2023.

OPG has submitted a Licence Amendment Application to the CNSC which requests Commission authorization to operate Pickering NGS Units 5 to 8 to the end of December 2026. The application includes an amendment to the Periodic Safety Review. In support of the June 2024 Public Hearing (see details below), OPG submitted a supplementary Commission Member Document to the CNSC detailing additional information and updates to the Licence Amendment Application submitted in June 2023. This supplemental document is meant to be read in conjunction with the Licence Amendment Application and does not negate any information that was already provided.

Learn more about Pickering’s operations or read our Environmental and Performance reports.

Licenced valid from:  Sept. 1, 2018 to Aug. 31, 2028

Periodic Safety Review (PSR)
PSR2-B is a reassessment of the results of the PSR2, which was completed in support of the 2018 re-licensing of Pickering NGS.  PSR2-B assesses the continued operations of Pickering NGS Units 5 to 8 to the end of 2026. PSR2-B confirmed that the design and operation of structures, systems, and components (SSCs) supports the safe commercial operations of Pickering NGS Units 5 to 8 to the end of 2026. Pickering NGS is committed to continuous improvement in safety and has robust comprehensive programs in place that are aligned with industry best practices for ensuring the condition of SSCs are well understood and well maintained.

CNSC Notice of Public Hearing
The CNSC will conduct a public hearing on OPG’s request to operate Pickering NGS Units 5 to 8 to the end of December 2026.

Date: The week of June 17, 2024 (number of days to be determined)
Place: To be determined (in the community in the vicinity of the Pickering NGS and/or virtually via Zoom)
Time: As set by the agenda published prior to the hearing date.

• CNSC Notice of Public Hearing and Participant Funding (PDF)

CNSC Offers Participant Funding
Through its Participant Funding Program, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is offering funding to assist members of the public, Indigenous Nations and communities and other stakeholders in participating in the licence amendment application review and Commission hearing process for OPG’s request for authorization to operate Pickering Nuclear Generating Station’s Units 5 to 8 to 2026.

Participant funding totalling $100,000 is being offered for the provision of new, distinctive and valuable information, through informed and topic-specific interventions to the CNSC.

The deadline for submitting a completed participant funding application form to the CNSC is Oct. 2, 2023.

Previous licence documents:

The Pickering NGS mid-term update was presented to the Commission on Dec. 13, 2023.

Commission authorization was granted for a change to Pickering NGS’s licensing basis to submit the application by June 30, 2023.

To read more about our Pickering licences, visit the OPG Document Archive.

Status: The Nuclear Sustainability Services - Western Waste Management Facility (NSS-WWMF) currently holds a ten-year operating licence.

Licenced valid from:  June 1, 2017 to May 31, 2027

To read more about our current NSS Western Facility licence, visit the OPG Document Archive.

Status: The Nuclear Sustainability Services - Darlington Waste Management Facility (NSS-DWMF) currently holds a ten-year operating licence.

Licence valid from: May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2033 

Related documents:

• Letter of Intent Submitted to CNSC (PDF)
• Application to CNSC for 10-Year Licence (PDF)
• Safety Assessment Summary Report (PDF)
• OPG Commission Member Document for the DWMF Licence Renewal Hearing - Jan. 26, 2023 (PDF)
• Commission’s Record of Decision for the DWMF Licence Renewal Hearing – Jan 26, 2023 (PDF)

Status: The Nuclear Sustainability Services - Pickering Waste Management Facility (NSS-PWMF) currently holds a ten-year operating licence.

Licence valid from:  April 1, 2018 to August 31, 2028

Updates: OPG has submitted a licence amendment application to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) which requests Commission authorization to include the processing and storage of younger than 10-year cooled fuel from the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station at the Pickering Waste Management Facility.

In May 2024, the CNSC will conduct a hearing in writing on OPG’s application to change the licensing basis for the Pickering Waste Management Facility.

• CNSC Notice of Hearing in Writing and Participant Funding (PDF)

To read more about our NSS-PWMF licence, visit the OPG Document Archive.