Canadian Minister of Energy & Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson announced that the Government of Canada has signed a preliminary agreement with AtkinsRéalis. This will support development and modernisation of a new large-scale CANDU nuclear reactor, such as the Monark design, with a loan of CAD304m ($212m) over four years to finance half of the design project. The work will also include Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), operators and the broader Canadian supply chain.
Government-owned AECL owns the CANDU intellectual property and is working with AtkinsRéalis to leverage it for market success. AtkinsRéalis is the exclusive licensee of the intellectual property portfolio. CANDU pressurised heavy water reactor technology has operated in Canada since the Nuclear Power Demonstration reactor at Rolphton went online in 1962. The CANDU design was developed from the 1950s onwards by federal Crown corporation AECL, which sold its reactor division to SNC-Lavalin’s CANDU Energy subsidiary in 2011. SNC-Lavalin was rebranded as AtkinsRéalis in 2023.
In November 2023, AtkinsRéalis unveiled its plans for the 1000 MW CANDU Monark, a Generation III+ reactor with the highest output of any CANDU technology. It completed the conceptual design phase in September 2024, and is in the planning stage of a vendor design review with the Canadian nuclear regulator.
CANDU reactors support a primarily Canadian-made, Canadian-designed supply chain through a consortium of Canadian companies and are fuelled by uranium mined in Saskatchewan without the need for enrichment. There are currently 17 CANDU design nuclear reactors operating in Canada: 16 in Ontario and one in New Brunswick. Further CANDU units operate in South Korea, China, Argentina, and Romania. Romania announced in late 2024 that they would purchase a further two CANDU reactors for their existing Cernavoda site.
A 2024 independent report conducted by the Conference Board of Canada showed that the manufacturing, engineering, and construction phase of four CANDU units would generate more than CAD41bn of GDP impact for Canada as well as an additional CAD50bn of GDP impact during the operation phase. Such a power plant would sustain 3,500 full-time equivalent jobs a year over its 70-plus year operating life. This is on top of CAD29bn in additional tax revenue across municipal, provincial and federal governments over the life of such a project.
“We firmly believe that CANDU technology, as Canada’s only domestically developed large scale nuclear technology, offers a solution to meet the dual demands of Net Zero and energy security; whether deployed in Canada, or for allied countries overseas,” said Joe St Julian, President, Nuclear at AtkinsRéalis. “It’s a proven, low-cost, world-class technology with some of the highest reliability factors and a decades-long global track record of on time and on budget performance. More than that, it’s a national treasure proudly owned by Canadians.”
Canada is also promoting opportunities for international collaboration on emerging technologies, including small modular reactors (SMRs). Wilkinson, on behalf of Minister of Environment & Climate Change Steven Guilbeault, also announced CAD55m in funding from Environment & Climate Change Canada’s Future Electricity Fund (FEF) to support Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington New Nuclear Project. FEF mainly consists of proceeds collected from electricity-generating facilities covered by the federal Output-Based Pricing System.
The next phase of the Darlington project will focus on advancing construction of three GE Hitachi BWRX-300 SMRs, which together could supply enough electricity for about 900,000 homes. FEF has increased programme funding from CAD24m to CAD80m to the Saskatchewan Government’s Crown Investments Corporation in support of SaskPower’s SMR pre-development work. It will support pre-engineering work and technical studies, environmental assessments, regulatory studies and community and Indigenous engagement to help advance this project.
Wilkinson also highlighted a total investment of CAD52.4m for various projects supporting the development and deployment of SMRs and CANDU reactors and decarbonisation efforts in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario. The funding includes CAD11.4m from the Enabling SMRs Programme for three projects and CAD41m for four projects under NRCan’s Electricity Predevelopment Programme.
The three projects funded by the Enabling SMRs Programme include: CAD5m for the University of Western Ontario to conduct a detailed study of TRISO-based used fuel properties and characteristics; CAD3.5m for Canadian Nuclear Laboratories to develop guidelines, strategies and standards for SMR deployment to support the Canadian nuclear industry; and CAD2.8m for the Saskatchewan Industrial & Mining Suppliers Association to evaluate the capabilities of the existing supply chain in Saskatchewan to support SMRs.
Wilkinson said, by advancing innovative projects such as Monark reactors, the government is reinforcing its commitment to domestically sourced and processed uranium, which is creating well-paid jobs in Ontario and throughout the country. “And through investments in the Darlington New Nuclear project and SMRs in Alberta, we are providing a powerful example of how public and private sectors can work together to enhance energy security; advance cutting-edge, made-in-Canada nuclear technologies; and deliver a clean and reliable energy future.”
Environment Minister Guilbeault said the new investments represent a strong step forward for the economy, for jobs and for climate action. “Together, with provinces and territories, Indigenous Peoples, municipalities, utilities and workers, we are building a historic amount of clean, affordable and reliable electricity to power Canada into the future.”
Ian Edwards, President & CEO of AtkinsRéalis, noted: “For over a decade, we have been the proud steward of CANDU technology…. With our CANDU-based supply chain partners, we have serviced, life-extended and refurbished CANDU nuclear reactors on time and on budget and advanced the prospects for new CANDU reactors.” The decision to invest in the further development of CANDU technology “will enable us to continue this important work already underway with our utility partners”. Above all, it “maintains Canada’s status as a Tier-1 nuclear nation”.
Nicolle Butcher, President & CEO of Ontario Power Generation, said: “As first mover in the G7 on small modular reactors, OPG’s Darlington New Nuclear Project will create approximately 17,000 jobs in Ontario and 10,000 more across Canada during manufacturing and construction. The Darlington SMR project will further cement Ontario and Canada’s robust nuclear supply chain, creating additional growth opportunities domestically and internationally, as jurisdictions seek to increase energy security and reliability.”
