The Nuclear Waste Management Organization is working toward finding a host community for Canada's used nuclear fuel, but will not rush the process.
Communications Manager Mike Krizanc says they continuing preliminary assessments in nine communities in Ontario, including Huron-Kinloss, South Bruce and Central Huron.
He says there's no timeline for narrowing the list down to one community, pointing out they will take as much as time as they need in order to properly develop a safety case and to allow for the potential host community to make a proper decision on whether or not it wishes to host a DGR.
Krizanc says there will be another round of open houses later this month and into April, then the NWMO will begin field work in the communities that have progressed to the second phase of the preliminary assessments.
The DGR proposes house all of Canada's used nuclear fuel about 500 metres below the surface, though the exact depth will depend on the geology of the host site.
Canada's nuclear reactors have burned about 2.4-million uranium fuel bundles to date, which is expected to increase to as high as 4-million bundles by the time the current generation of nuclear reactors are taken out of service.
Nearly half of used nuclear fuel in Canada is currently stored at the Bruce nuclear site in spent fuel pools and dry storage containers.
Krizanc adds the NWMO will be keeping tabs on the Joint Review Panel decision on Ontario Power Generation's separate DGR plan for low and intermediate level nuclear waste at the Bruce site.
He says work on the used fuel DGR project will continue regardless of the recommendations for the OPG proposal, but adds they will take into consideration any suggestions from the Joint Review Panel.
"We'll certainly be interested in the decision when the JRP makes its announcement and we'll be looking at it and reviewing it. But it will not impact our work going forward. We will have to stand our own and our project will have to stand on its own," says Krizanc.
The Joint Review Panel report on the OPG DGR proposal will be handed down by May 6.
Upcoming NWMO open houses:
Lucknow Community Centre March 30: 1pm - 8pm March 31: 9am - 3pm
Teeswater Culross Community Centre April 1: 1pm - 8pm April 2: 9am - 3pm
Holmesville Community Centre April 9: 1pm - 8pm April 10: 9am - 3pm