TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - Bruce Power has withdrawn its request for U-S permission to ship 16 scrapped steam generators with radioactive contents on the Great Lakes.

The company says it wants to consult further with critics of the plan before moving ahead.

Bruce received a licence from the Canadian authorities but also needed U-S approval because the vessel would cross into American territory.

The company says it will not set a date for shipping the decommissioned steam generators and will take time to meet with groups to answer any questions they may have about the project.

Environmentalists, aboriginal groups and local governments in both countries have raised concerns about the plan for the generators.

Bruce Power wants to ship them to a Swedish plant for recycling.

It says each generator has less than an ounce of radioactive material and would be welded shut to prevent leaks.