Canadian Nuclear Deal Signed

Saskatchewan: Easy to draw, hard to spell, and impossibly flat. But a newly signed nuclear agreement might just create a few new landmarks that pop up across that endless horizon.

What happened: SaskPower, Ontario Power Generation (OPG), and Laurentis Energy Partners – a subsidiary of OPG – have signed a five-year strategic partnership to advance small modular reactor (SMR) development between Saskatchewan and Ontario.

• The partnership builds on an existing agreement for collaboration between the two provinces on new nuclear development, including SMRs.

Working with academic institutions, the trio hopes to support applied research and skills development for the growing industry.

Some background: OPG is at the forefront of industry development. Late last year, the Crown corporation broke ground on the first SMR in North America at its Darlington Nuclear Generating Facility, expected to come online by 2029.

• In the same year, SaskPower aims to make its final decision on whether or not to proceed with its own SMR facility.

The GE Hitachi BWRX-300 reactor was selected for deployment at Darlington and for future use in Saskatchewan. By partnering up, a fleet-style approach can be used to increase efficiency and drive down costs.

Big picture: The trio’s partnership represents a significant step towards advancing SMRs in Canada. The technology is a strong contender for regions like Saskatchewan, without the wind or hydropower resources of its neighbours, looking to lower carbon emissions from electricity generation.

+Bonus infographic: Visualizing small modular nuclear reactors