A Canadian nuclear power plant has been ordered to stop killing fish by the millions or risk losing its operating license, government officials say.

Ontario Power Generation, operator of the Pickering plant, must reduce fish mortality in Lake Ontario by 80 percent, the Toronto Star reported Wednesday.

Nearly 1 million fish and 62 million fish eggs and larvae die each year after being sucked into the water intake channel that is part of the cooling system of the power plant, completed in 1986.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has ordered annual reports on fish mortality and the effectiveness of steps being taken toward improvement.

Mark Mattson, president of a grassroots environmental advocacy group working to protect the health of Lake Ontario, calls the plant’s cooling system the worst of available technologies.

“It sucks in clean water along with fish, eggs and larvae, then spits it back at close to hot tub temperatures,” Mattson said.

via Nuclear plant must stop killing fish – UPI.com.