NEWS

Ottawa announces up to $74M for small modular nuclear reactor development in Sask.

19 August 2023

A final decision on whether to build a small modular reactor in the province is expected in 2029

Canada is getting behind the development of small modular nuclear reactors in Saskatchewan, the federal minister of energy and natural resources announced on Saturday,

Ottawa has approved up to $74 million in federal funding for small modular reactor (SMR) development in the province, Jonathan Wilkinson said in Saskatoon.

SMRs generate nuclear power. The idea is to help fuel the transition to net-zero emissions and meet the federal government's climate goals by transitioning toward non-emitting energy, Wilkinson said, speaking at the Sylvia Fedoruk Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation at the University of Saskatchewan.

"Delivering clean, reliable and affordable electricity will look different in every region of Canada," he said in a press release accompanying the announcement.

"We are investing in the future of nuclear technology, building on Canada's decades-long legacy as a responsible global leader in nuclear power, and leveraging Saskatchewan's world-leading production of uranium to position the province to thrive."

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Saskatchewan and three other provinces — Ontario, New Brunswick and Alberta — have led the charge on developing SMR technology that would help supply power in their respective provinces.

Like their name implies, SMRs are much smaller than traditional nuclear reactors.

While a conventional nuclear reactor generates about 1,000 megawatts of energy, SMRs generate between 200 and 300 megawatts — enough to power about 300,000 homes.

A final decision on whether to build a SMR in Saskatchewan won't happen until 2029 but the planning process has been moving ahead with SaskPower put in charge of development and implementation in the province.

The GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 is the reactor identified for development in the province. That's the same model chosen by Ontario Power Generation, which has been closely working with SaskPower on the project.

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