Towards the development of approaches to protection of the environment around SMRs

为协助加拿大应对气候紧急情况和确保能源安全的努力，正在考虑扩大小型核电厂。在偏远社区需要小型模块化反应堆（SMR）的地方选址非常有吸引力，因为我们都希望获得可靠的电力。虽然有明显的好处，但由于与用于燃料的铀的开采、研磨、浓缩、运输和最终处置有关的基础设施，可能会对原始环境产生重大影响。 我们的建议旨在从三个方面量化环境影响。1.我们将使用正在积极考虑的两个地点（达林顿和乔克河）确定基线生物多样性指数，并为生态系统健康的生物指标建立基线生物标志物状态，以便未来的监测可以跟踪SMR的任何不利影响，即我们将确定当前的生态系统健康状态，以便检测变化。2.利用麦克马斯特核反应堆的可用数据，我们将开发SMR潜在影响的模型。我们将使用新的方法，试图通过为树木和湿地等基本生态系统功能分配现实的经济价值来解决复杂的系统分析和考虑生态系统服务，即我们将模拟可能的影响情景。3.我们将举办两次研讨会，邀请国际专家和当地社区参与，以确定SMR的具体问题、影响和关切。将特别关注土著问题和权利，因为这些社区将受到加拿大北部多个SMR的影响。另一个研讨会将邀请研究科学家、监管机构和教育工作者参与，以确定未来监管方法和能力建设方面的需求，即我们将为采用SMR时未来的社会、监管和培训需求制定指导方针。

To contribute to Canada's efforts to deal with the climate emergency and ensure energy security, expansion of small nuclear power plants is being considered. The siting of small modular reactors (SMR) where they are needed in remote communities is very attractive as we all want reliable electricity. While there are obvious benefits, there may be major impacts in pristine environments due to infrastructure associated with mining, milling, enrichment, transport and eventual disposal of uranium used for fuel. Our proposal seeks to quantify the environmental impacts in 3 ways. 1. Using two sites under active consideration (Darlington and Chalk River) we will determine baseline biodiversity indices and establish baseline biomarker status for bio-indicators of ecosystem health so that future monitoring can track any adverse impacts of SMRs, i.e. we will determine the current ecosystem health status so changes can be detected. 2. Using the data available at the McMaster Nuclear Reactor, we will develop models of potential impacts of a SMR. We will use novel approaches which attempt to grapple with complex systems analysis and consider ecosystem services by assigning realistic economic values to essential ecosystem functions such as trees and wetlands, i.e. we will model likely impact scenarios. 3. We will run 2 workshops to engage international experts and local communities to determine SMR specific issues, impacts and concerns. Special attention will be paid to Indigenous issues and rights as these communities will be most impacted by siting multiple SMR in the Canadian North. A further workshop will engage with research scientists, regulators and educators to determine needs in terms of regulatory approaches and capacity building for the future, i.e. we will develop guidelines for future social, regulatory and training needs in the event of SMR adoption.