Candu Energy (part of AtkinsRéalis) has concluded Preferred Vendor Agreements (PVAs) with eight companies, who accounted for orders totalling CAD700m ($491m) in 2024 and nearly CAD500m year-to-date.

Candu Energy said these eight preferred vendors were selected because they have consistently delivered excellence over the years and have been crucial to Candu Energy’s ability to deliver on-time and on-budget refurbishments and life extensions. “PVAs will ensure a closer collaboration and transparency between parties, focus on continuous improvement and engineering development leading to a derisked supply chain with reduced execution risk and costs, while accelerating the development of the nuclear reactors and job creation.”

They will further incentivise investment in Ontario as partner companies prepare to support the development of new Candu reactors. The economic benefit to Ontario of these agreements will increase as more jurisdictions choose Candu to support their nuclear ambitions. These companies will also benefit from preferential access to key contracts and will play an important role in the deployment of new Candus, in Canada and abroad.

“These agreements are a win-win for the Canadian nuclear sector,” said Joe St Julian, President, Nuclear, AtkinsRéalis. “By providing our preferred partner companies in Canada with a stable, predictable stream of business, and simplifying the purchasing process, we will accelerate the development of reactors while further reducing costs and execution risk.”

As the only technology designed, built, supplied and serviced from within the country, Candu technology benefits from deep and long-standing roots in the domestic nuclear supply chain. The PVAs build on these relationships by allowing participating companies to be fully integrated into the design process of the next generation of Candu reactors. In 2024, Candu Energy issued over CAD1.3bn in purchase orders into the Candu nuclear supply chain to more than 350 companies, 88.5% of which was issued to Canadian suppliers.

The eight companies who concluded PVAs were:

  • BC Instruments
  • BWXT
  • Celeros
  • ES Fox
  • Niagara Energy
  • NWI Precision
  • Senior Flexonics
  • Velan

“There will be several opportunities for Canadian companies beyond national borders. We’ll collaborate to ensure they are well-positioned to benefit from export opportunities associated with our status as a Tier-1 nuclear nation,” said Gary Rose, President, Candu International, AtkinsRéalis.

With more than 70 years of global nuclear expertise, delivering nuclear technology products and full-service solutions to nuclear utilities around the world, AtkinsRéalis is the steward of Candu nuclear technology. AtkinsRéalis has an innovative technology portfolio, including access to over 500 patented solutions. The company tackles technically complex challenges across the whole nuclear lifecycle from design and new build to decommissioning and waste management. CANDU technology also allows for the co-production of medical radioisotopes for cancer detection and treatment.

As the global community increasingly turns to nuclear energy for clean, affordable, and stable power, these collaborations will position Canada at the forefront of the nuclear sector, driving economic benefits and supporting international nuclear ambitions.