SaskPower.png Canadian utility SaskPower has identified Estevan and Elbow, two areas in the province of Saskatchewan, for further study to determine the feasibility of hosting a small modular reactor (SMR). The Estevan study area incudes the areas around the Boundary/Rafferty Dam as well as the area around Grant Devine Dam. The Elbow study area contains the area around Lake Diefenbaker for Gardines Dam to the Diefenbaker Dam. In order to identify these study areas, SaskPower used technical criteria based on the requirements of various SMR technologies. These SMRs were evaluated by the utility earlier this year. These criteria include proximity to a suitable water supply, existing power infrastructure, workforce, nuclear regulations and standards, and learnings from past generation siting projects. Work will now begin on environmental and impact assessments and the Regional Evaluation Process (REP). This process will share current information about the project with regional and stakeholder organizations as well as indigenous groups potentially affected. It will also allow SaskPower to gather input on regional identity, siting considerations, and potential economic development. This information will be combined with future public participation preferences to support its regulatory and siting process. As a part of the REP, SaskPower will create a Regional and Indigenous and Stakeholder Committee made up of nominated representatives from each study area. This will be used in support of public participation on the SMR development project. Rupen Pandya is the SaskPower CEO. He said, “Feedback and perspectives from not just the regions but from the entire province are very important to SaskPower as we plan to potentially incorporate nuclear power into the generation mix. Engagement and consultation with Indigenous Rightsholders and the public is critical to this project, and I encourage the people of Saskatchewan to reach out and engage with us on this important project.” The utility noted that a final decision on whether or not to build an SMR will not be made until 2029. However, it said that to keep a nuclear power option for Saskatchewan, significant planning and regulatory work must be done. It also said that “A necessary step to advance this regulatory work is to identify and select a location to potentially host an SMR.” Don Morgan is the Minister Responsible for SaskPower. He said, “By identifying these two study areas, SaskPower has reached another critical milestone in its planning work to potentially bring nuclear power to Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan's commitment to a sustainable, reliable, and affordable electrical system is evident with today's announcement.” Last June, SaskPower selected GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy's BWRX-300 SMR for possible deployment in the province in the mid-2030s after an assessment process in which it looked at several SMR technology. Although all of Canada’s uranium production currently comes from Saskatchewan, the province does not use nuclear power. Saskatchewan’s government identified development of SMR technology as a goal for growth in its 2019 development roadmap. Earlier this year, along with the governments of Ontario, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Alverta, it released a joint strategic plan setting out a path for developing and deploying SMRs. OPG has already selected the GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 for their Darlington New Nuclear Project in Ontario, where Canada’s first commercial, grid-scale, SMR could be completed as early as 2028.
