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

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." 

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. 

SaskPower has identified Estevan, located in the province's southeast, and Elbow, located about midway between Saskatoon and Regina, as two sites that could potentially host SMRs.

Both are close to water sources, existing power transmission infrastructure and have the ability to support a workforce, according to an announcement released last year by SaskPower. 

A final decision on the location to build one SMR is not expected until late 2024. 

If approved, construction could begin as early as 2030 with the first SMR coming on line sometime in 2034. Additional facilities could follow.