Atomic Energy of Canada Limited

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited is a public-owned corporation of the Government of Canada which "develops, designs and markets CANDU power reactors and MAPLE research reactors and MACSTOR(TM) waste storage facilities and manages the construction of nuclear projects worldwide. The corporation also supplies engineering and consulting services for power and research reactors."

Privatization on the agenda
Privatization in the near future is a strong possibility. General Electric has said it would like to gain a stake in the company,  Areva has also expressed an interest. The Canadian Government has ordered a full review of AECL's structure, and one option could be a public-private partnership for the firm, which has been struggling to make new sales despite the apparent revival of nuclear power worldwide.

Controversy
At the end of 2007 and beginning of 2008, AECL's Chalk River reactor was restarted, despite opposition from Linda Keen, then Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission President. Keen was fired as a result. 

Lobbying for new UK reactors
AECL has been active in the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy. It has employed Fleishman Hillard for PR and lobbying.

As part of the UK’s Generic Design Assessment (GDA) system, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has asked applicants to put as much information about their plans into the public domain as possible. Public comments on the safety case(s) were invited by 10th December 2007. AECL established a website with information it had supplied to the HSE on the Advanced CANDU reactor ACR1000.

AECL is a member of the World Nuclear Association, and the Nuclear Energy Institute , described as "the propaganda wing of the US Nuclear Industry".

Contact Details
AECL – Sheridan Park 2251 Speakman Drive Mississauga, Ontario Canada L5K 1B2 Phone: (905) 823-9040 Website: http://www.aecl.ca/site3.aspx

Kids Education website: http://www.aecl.ca/kidszone/atomicenergy/