Enthusiasm for the use of SMRs to control greenhouse gas emissions is growing as the world battles climate change, CTV News Canada reports.
Proponents of SMRs say that the smaller-scale reactors – able to churn out emissions-free electrical power at a much lower cost than traditional nuclear power costs – make them an option that cannot be ignored.
“Thirty years ago, the vision was that nuclear energy is going to be so cheap that we’ll be giving electricity away for free,” said Robby Sohi, president, and CEO of Global First Power Ltd., a company trying to build Canada’s first SMR.
And with greenhouse gas emissions rising, global goals for achieving net-zero emissions using traditional nuclear power would be costly and difficult to achieve. However, SMRs are cost-effective and achievable.
Sohi adds, “The biggest change is it is going to be just about impossible – I don’t see how – you can ever meet a 2050 (net-zero) target without nuclear in the mix.”
A feasibility study released by provinces
The four provinces released a feasibility report on April 14 prepared by Ontario Power Generation, Bruce Power, NB Power and SaskPower outlining a potential timeline for the development and deployment of SMRs and assesses their competitiveness with other non-emitting energy sources, such as wind and solar power.
The most important takeaway from this report? The collaboration the study signifies in the Canadian nuclear community. “SMR development to date has been somewhat scattershot, with many different designs and use cases competing for attention. This study is a clear signal that Canada’s biggest nuclear operators are beginning to develop a more concrete plan forward.”
With the release of the study, Alberta Premier Jason Kinney said: “Alberta has always been committed to clean, affordable energy. Small modular reactors are an exciting new technology that could be used in the future to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions, for example by generating power for Canadian oilsands producers. Nuclear is the cleanest form of electricity production and with SMRs, is now more affordable and scalable for industrial use. We are excited to be part of this group that will help develop Canadian SMR technology.”
What Canadians can expect to see in the near future
Canada’s first grid-scale SMR project of about 300 MW is expected to be in place at the Darlington nuclear site in Ontario by 2028. This milestone will be followed by four additional SMRs in Saskatchewan with the first going into service in 2032.
The technology and developer will be selected by the end of this year. Additionally, New Brunswick is developing an advanced-design SMR – resulting in demonstration units at the Point Lepreau, N.B., nuclear site by 2030.
A new “micro SMR” is being designed to replace diesel use in remote communities and mines at the Chalk River nuclear site in Ontario and is expected to be in service by 2026. This micro-SMR will be a 5-MW gas-cooled reactor.
