Published on June 12, 2025 by Marc Prosser
Safecast has submitted a formal proposal to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to establish a real-time radiation and environmental sensor network around Ontario’s Darlington Nuclear Generating Station (DNGS), located on the shore of Lake Ontario. To provide real-world examples of the network’s potential benefits, Safecast has launched a demonstration project of three sensors in the area, which provide real-time, openly accessible data. The sensors’ readings can be followed here: https://rt-ca.safecast.org/map.
Safecast recommends that this network become a condition for Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) license renewal for the plant.
The sensor network proposal outlines a robust and transparent system that provides publicly accessible, real-time environmental data both on-site and beyond the facility’s perimeter. This system is designed to support surrounding communities and benefit regulators, researchers, emergency responders, and OPG itself by providing a clearer and more consistent picture of the plant’s environmental impact.
At the heart of the proposal is a concern about OPG’s request for a 30-year license renewal. This unusually long period could reduce opportunities for public engagement in the oversight process.
Safecast argues that such an extended license must be balanced with increased transparency and real-time public access to emissions and safety data.
Currently, while OPG publishes quarterly reports, finding detailed information, such as the nature and location of spills, can be difficult. Said information also risks being outdated and thereby of reduced use to the public.
For example, in a recent review of OPG’s reporting, Safecast noted that the most recent environmental emissions data available as of March 2025 was for the third quarter of 2024, a five-month delay. Such lags can reduce public understanding and trust.
Safecast’s monitoring system aims to fill these gaps by publishing live data from a network of radiation sensors online.
The system would include intuitive visualizations, historical data, and the ability to flag anomalies in real-time. Crucially, the data would be freely available to all stakeholders and licensed under open data protocols that allow for independent verification.
The 2020 emergency alert sent in error regarding the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, located on the outskirts of Toronto, underscored the urgent need for transparent, real-time monitoring.
At 7:24 a.m. on January 12, 2020, phones across Ontario received a warning about an incident at Pickering. Although the alert stated that no abnormal release of radiation had occurred, the lack of follow-up information left many residents anxious and confused.
It took 108 minutes for officials to issue a second alert clarifying the mistake. There was no independent source for the public or media to confirm whether an emergency was underway.
Safecast’s Louis Bertrand vividly remembers the situation.
“I was home when I received the alert. I live north of the lake shore, and I am generally familiar with emergency planning, but the lack of follow-up information was disturbing. I can’t imagine what they were experiencing in the vicinity of Pickering,” he says.
In this situation, a network of independent, real-time sensors would have made a significant difference. With immediate access to environmental readings, residents and authorities could have seen for themselves that no radiation release had occurred.
Safecast proposes that the CNSC require the operator, Ontario Power Generation (OPG), to:
Establish a real-time environmental monitoring network, both on-site and off-site.
Provide unrestricted, public access to the data through an open online platform.
Adopt standardized thresholds for alerts and public notifications.
Include an independent scientific advisory panel to oversee protocols.
Submit annual public reports assessing system performance.
The proposal builds on Safecast’s existing infrastructure in the area. The organization has already deployed three pilot sensors in the vicinity of Darlington and Pickering. These fixed sensors feed into a live data visualization web page. Users can view current readings in counts per minute (CPM) and track previous readings.
In cases where real-time data collection is not technically possible, such as sampling tritium in groundwater or drinking water intakes, Safecast recommends scheduled lab testing from consistent lake and well locations to complement the live system.
Safecast’s proposal comes at a time when public trust in institutions is under pressure globally. Disinformation and miscommunication, particularly in the context of science and public health, have become increasingly common phenomena. In Canada and beyond, citizens are increasingly demanding direct access to primary data rather than filtered corporate summaries or delayed government reports.
This project aims to support—not challenge—existing oversight by providing an additional layer of open, verifiable data that fosters a shared understanding among utilities, regulators, and the public. By making real-time monitoring a standard practice, Darlington could set a new benchmark for transparency and accountability in the nuclear energy sector.
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