3.11.2026
Millions of fish died of “organization failure” at a privately-owned nuclear plant in Canada, media reported Tuesday.
The company, Bruce Power, faces charges under the federal Fisheries Act and will appear in court later this month, according to CBC News.
The fish, known as the cold-sensitive gizzard shad, swam into the warm-water discharge at the Lake Huron plant during a cold spell in southwestern Ontario, about 190 kilometers (118 miles) southwest of Toronto.
The shad became trapped against the intake screens, and in such massive numbers that one reactor had to be shut down and another was partially crippled, threatening the electrical grid during the long cold snap.
Bruce Power admitted the kill was due to an “organization failure” to take action in the face of climate change.
The fish kill occurred during February and March in 2025. Dead fish washed up on the shoreline for days.
The numbers were so enormous- eight million dead fish by weight- that they were 200 times more than allowed above the federal limit, and a crane had to be used to collect the shad and deliver them to a landfill.
Bruce Power could face fines up to CAN$200,000 ($143,000).
Bruce Power has spent $10 million on remedial measures, including sonar, better barrier nets to deter fish, enhanced sound and light techniques, and AI to track fish movements.
The company will appear in court Nov. 24. AA