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Updated: Emergency Alert about Pickering nuclear plant issued accidentally

There was no abnormal release of radioactivity from the station
emergency-alert
(File)

Updated 9:52 a.m.

An alert warning Ontario residents of an unspecified incident at Pickering Nuclear Generating Station early Sunday morning was sent in error, Ontario Power Generation said.

OPG sent out a tweet about 40 minutes after the emergency alert, which was pushed to cellphones at about 7:30 a.m., saying it was a mistake.

A follow-up alert was sent to cellphones nearly two hours after the original notification, and about an hour after the OPG tweet.

"There is NO active nuclear situation taking place at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station," the alert said. "The previous alert was issued in error. There is no danger to the public or environment. No further action is required."

Premier Doug Ford's office said it was working to figure out what happened.

The original alert warned people within 10 kilometres of the facility east of Toronto of an unspecified incident. There was no abnormal release of radioactivity and people near the plant didn't need to take protective actions, the alert said.

Pickering has been operating since 1971, and had been scheduled to be decommissioned this year, but the former Liberal government — and the current Progressive Conservative government — committed to keeping it open until 2024. Decommissioning is now set to start in 2028.

It operates six CANDU reactors, generates 14 per cent of Ontario's electricity, and is responsible for 4,500 jobs across the region, according to OPG.

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press

Original Story 

Ontario Power Generation says the alert regarding the Pickering nuclear power plant was sent in error.

OPG says there is no danger to the public or environment.

The original alert was sent out at about 7:30 a.m. Sunday.

It said an incident had been reported but there was no abnormal release of radioactivity from the station.

The original alert also said that people living near the plant did not need to take protective actions.

More to come

The Canadian Press


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