News

U-Battery continuing to lead as the industry voice for SMRs in Canada

30 November 2018

Following an engaging presentation at Pickering Nuclear earlier this month, U-Battery Canada’s Sean Donnelly had another opportunity to speak with North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NAYGN) members at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station. Organised by the NAYGN, the lunch and learn session was well attended by members of NAYGN’s Durham chapter, which includes operations and facility staff from the Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) Darlington plant.

During the session, Sean spoke about the range of opportunities that are emerging for OPG, and on a broader scale, for the Canadian nuclear industry to continue to build its presence as a global leader in clean energy development. Earlier this month, the Government of Canada released the much-anticipated SMR Roadmap to engage stakeholders on the future of SMRs in Canada.

According to the report, Canada has one of the world’s most promising domestic markets for SMRs and the roadmap provides much needed direction on the development and deployment of SMR technology across the country. Extensive operating experience of world class facilities such as Darlington and Pickering Nuclear were cited as one of the many elements that make Canada the ideal market for SMR deployment.

OPG’s Darlington Nuclear Generating Station is a four-unit station with a net output of over 3,500 megawatts (MW). Located in the Municipality of Clarington in Durham Region, 70 km (~43 miles) east of Toronto, Darlington Nuclear provides about 20 per cent of Ontario’s electricity needs, enough to serve a city of two million people. In October 2016, after years of detailed planning and preparation, OPG’s team of industry experts, highly-trained professionals and skilled tradespeople successfully took the first of four Darlington reactors offline, commencing a 10-year undertaking that is scheduled for completion in 2026. Darlington Refurbishment is one of the largest infrastructure and clean energy projects in Canada. U-Battery looks forward to working with OPG and other stakeholders in Canada’s nuclear sector supply chain in the advancement of nuclear innovation, like SMRs.

U-Battery Canada Limited was established in early 2018 to advance the development of U-Battery’s 10 MWt/4MWe high-temperature gas micro-modular reactor in Canada. This project will provide a clean, cost-effective and safe source of electricity and heat for remote sites and off-grid locations in Canada.