Canada’s Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick and Alberta have strengthened their collaboration on small modular reactors (SMRs), unveiling strategic plans for deployment across remote communities and the oilsands. Meanwhile, the UK has shortlisted sites for an SMR factory and pushed a 470 MW design through its first regulatory assessment.

Key Takeaways

• Four Canadian provinces signed an interprovincial memorandum of understanding on SMRs.
• Ontario is set to host the first SMR, with Saskatchewan planning up to four by 2042.
• The UK shortlisted four potential factory sites for SMR construction.
• Rolls-Royce’s 470 MW SMR design completed the first phase of the Generic Design Assessment (GDA).

Interprovincial Collaboration Drives SMR Deployment

Provincial leaders from Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick and Alberta endorsed a strategic plan to develop SMR technology as a clean, reliable power source. Key points:

1. Memorandum of Understanding: Establishes a framework for joint research, regulatory alignment and supply-chain development.
2. Deployment Timeline:
   • Ontario: First SMR by the early 2030s.
   • Saskatchewan: Four units between 2034 and 2042.
3. Applications:
   • Remote and Indigenous communities.
   • Alberta’s oilsands operations, reducing reliance on natural-gas and diesel.
4. Economic Opportunity: Estimated Canadian SMR market of C$10 billion and a global market of C$150 billion.
5. Environmental Impact: SMRs emit near-zero greenhouse gases and produce less waste than traditional reactors, supporting Canada’s net-zero by 2050 goal.

Strategic Site Approvals And Global Factory Shortlist

In the UK, Holtec Britain has narrowed down potential locations for an SMR factory to four regions:

• Kingmoor Park, Carlisle
• Tees Valley
• West Midlands
• South Yorkshire

If selected, the facility could receive an initial £1.3 billion investment and manufacture two to four reactors per year—each valued at up to £2 billion—for the UK, Europe and the Middle East. The factory will focus on reactor assembly and will not handle nuclear fuel, streamlining safety and licensing requirements.

Regulatory Milestones In The UK SMR Assessment

Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd’s 470 MW design has completed Step 1 of the UK’s Generic Design Assessment (GDA), a rigorous review by the Office for Nuclear Regulation, the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales. Step 2 begins now and will last approximately 16 months, involving:

• Fundamental safety, security and environmental protection assessments
• Public and stakeholder engagement through an open comments process
• A final Design Acceptance Confirmation or Statement of Design Acceptability at the end of Step 3, contingent on meeting high regulatory standards

Looking Ahead

Canada’s interprovincial SMR initiative and the UK’s factory and GDA progress position both nations at the forefront of nuclear innovation. With clear timelines, robust regulatory frameworks and economic incentives, SMRs could play a pivotal role in the global clean-energy transition.

Sources

• 4 provinces push ahead with plan to build small nuclear reactors to supply power, CBC.
• Small modular nuclear reactors factory sites shortlisted, BBC.
• Ontario Newsroom, Ontario Newsroom.
• Alberta signs on to help develop nuclear reactor technology, CBC.
• Small Modular Reactor design completes first step of assessment, GOV.UK.