Ontario Power Generation has submitted the first tranche of its application for a license to construct a small modular reactor plant, which would be a first for Canada.
Earth-moving work at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station began in October 2021 in Bowmanville, Ontario, in anticipation of approval OPG project that would deploy GE Hitachi BWRX 300 reactors. Additional information will be presented to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission over the course of the next six months, according to the World Nuclear Association.
OPG recently announced a finalized agreement with the Canada Infrastructure Bank that agreed to commit $970 million towards the Darlington SMR project.
“We know nuclear energy, including from SMRs, is an essential part of the electricity mix to help meet our climate change goals,” said OPG President and Chief Executive Officer Ken Hartwick.
SMRs are a new class of nuclear reactors, generally acknowledged to involve approximately 300 megawatts or less. The reduced size of an SMR plant is allows for reactors scaled to smaller communities and/or remote locations than traditional nuclear plants. The size also allows for a components built in factory settings, which would reduce cost and create design consistencies on a scale not yet enjoyed by the industry.
The BWRX-300 design is a water-cooled system with passive safety features. The design is also currently undergoing a Vendor Design Review at the CNSC.
Anonymous comments will be moderated. Join for free and post now!
