Ontario Power Generations’s (OPG’s) Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) has completed the early works phase of the project’s site preparation work another major milestone, on time and on budget. Project partner ES Foxhas completed civil works, including site grading, construction of temporary roads and construction laydown areas, installation of stormwater features, and establishment of on-site utilities such as power, domestic and fire water, and IT infrastructure.

The site has now transitioned into the care of the DNNP’s constructor partner, Aecon, to allow for the main site preparation work to begin. In accordance with the site preparation licence, some of the major work programmes to be completed over the course of 2024 include:

  • Construction work for site establishment activities, including the shoring wall required for reactor building excavation.
  • Excavation for unit 1 power block.
  • Clearing and grubbing and early works for units 2, 3, and 4.

OPG submitted an application to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) for a licence to construct the first BWRX-300 small modular reactor at the Darlington site in October 2022. The Ontario government and OPG last year announced plans to begin the licensing process for three additional BWRX-300 units at the site.

In January 2024, OPG completed a regulatory hearing on the applicability of the project’s accepted environmental assessment with the selected BWRX-300 reactor technology. A decision from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is expected by the end of April.

Following completion of the 2024 site establishment work, the project will be ready for nuclear construction work to begin in early 2025, pending CNSC regulatory approval. A second regulatory hearing to review OPG’s application for the unit 1 SMR licence to construct is anticipated in October 2024.

OPG submitted an application to the CNSC for a licence to construct the first BWRX-300 SMR at the Darlington site in October 2022. The Ontario government and OPG in 2023 announced plans to begin the licensing process for three additional units at the site.

Image: Early site preparations have been completed at the Darlington New Nuclear Project (courtesy of OPG)