Nuclear Leaks 39: Pickering, Ontario, Canada

Image Source: Ontario Emergency Alerts via imgur. Click to enlarge.

In the middle of an ice storm, the above message greeted Canadian smartphone users in the province of Ontario at 7:24 a.m. on 12 January 2020. The Pickering nuclear plant is adjacent to the city of Toronto. There is a Reddit discussion on the alert here. You can see my previous post on the Pickering plant, here. It is due to be decommissioned in 2024. A Weather Network app message - but no further government alert - subsequently informed the public that the emergency had been addressed. The Pickering Fire Chief John Hagg informed CP24 News that the alert had been "sent out by mistake" and the province is working on a retraction statement. Twitter gossip reveals that the alert was sent out due to a power outage in the storm.

Another Twitter user remarked that a greater danger comes from the decommissioned Chalk River site in Ontario, not far from the capital city, Ottawa. You can see my post on Chalk River, here.

Just in case #pickering #ontario #nuclear remember what zone you're in.... pic.twitter.com/20XdQLGE4u

— Toronto_Guy (@Mr_TorontoGuy) January 12, 2020

Wait, radiological hazard ENDED? (And that didn’t come through till 7:38 despite their issued time stamp). Well at least the Weather Network seems to have a grasp on our flirtation with doom this morning. #pickering pic.twitter.com/NqaVM6FCZh

— My Ghoul Friday (@GhoulFriday) January 12, 2020

Important update: the alert regarding #Pickering Nuclear was sent in error. There is no danger to the public or environment.

— Ontario Power Gen (@opg) January 12, 2020

#BREAKING: Ontario Power Generation says the emergency alert related to #Pickering Nuclear Station was sent out in error. pic.twitter.com/W9z3zzIK6K

— Brandon Gonez (@brandongonez) January 12, 2020

Image Source: Twitter.

I'm more concerned about the #ChalkRiver reactor that was dragged into an open pit mine and sealed in concrete. It will remain hot for hundreds of years and the possibility of a breach is much greater than #pickering having an #Incident

— John Burchet (@BurchetJohn) January 12, 2020

• Potassium iodide pills, Province of Ontario
• Emergency response plan for Pickering, Province of Ontario
• Nuclear safety plan for Pickering, Government of Canada [page unresponsive at the time of writing]
• Pickering Fire Services HQ

ADDENDUM (12 January 2020):

Pickering Mayor Dave Ryan reacts to nuclear plant alert (12 January 2020). Video Source: Youtube.

See all my posts on Nuclear topics.