A first for Canada: New type of nuclear plant opening by 2028

Source: Isabella O’Malley · THE WEATHER NETWORK · | April 30, 2022

Source: A rendering of USNC’s micro modular nuclear reactor. (USNC)

Significant technological advancements have been made in nuclear energy over the past decades and it is being increasingly developed in Canada and other countries that are looking to lower their greenhouse gas emissions.

Nuclear energy is one of the more divisive carbon-free energies due to historic disasters and the disproportionate impacts that nuclear waste has had on marginalized communities. What’s clear is the confidence that many nations have in improving the safety of this energy, and experts say a major growth in this sector is just around the corner.

In March 2022 the energy ministers from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and New Brunswick announced a joint strategic plan to develop innovative nuclear energy facilities. A small modular reactor (SMR) is planned for construction at the Chalk River Laboratories site in Ontario by 2028, which will be a first-of-its-kind in Canada. New Brunswick could see its first SMR in 2030 and Saskatchewn intends to construct their own by the mid 2030s.

SMRs are nuclear reactors that typically produce up to 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity, which is enough energy to power 300,000 homes for one year. SMRs can also support remote off-grid communities and supply power to existing grids.