Just in the nick of time, Capital Power Corp. and Ontario Power Generation (OPG) on Monday signed a deal to develop and deploy grid-scale modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) in Alberta.Through the agreement, the two companies will examine the feasibility of developing SMRs in Alberta, including possible ownership and operating structures. Capital Power and OPG said they would complete the feasibility assessment within two years, while continuing to work on the next stages of SMR development.“We are at the forefront of electrification which will drive continual growth in demand for power. The deployment of SMR technology will provide an important source of safe, reliable, flexible, affordable and clean base load electricity in Alberta in the future,” Capital Power president and CEO Avik Dey said in a statement..Ontario Power has been operating that province’s fleet of nuclear reactors for decades and is recognized as a world leader in nuclear power. It is in the process of building Canada’s first fleet of SMRs at its Darlington site in Ontario. The first of four units is scheduled to be complete by late 2028 and fully online by 2029.Alberta joins Saskatchewan and New Brunswick that jointly released a strategic plan for SMRs in 2022. Today’s agreement builds on that agreement by taking next steps to commercialization.It comes after Alberta’s electric system operator on Monday issued its third alert in as many days urging resident to limit electricity use or face rolling blackouts. The upshot of SMRs is that they provide reliable baseload generation without any added emissions.It couldn’t come soon enough for Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf, although it will still be several years before any of the units will actually be deployed in Alberta..“Small Modular Reactors have the potential to play a major role in the province’s search for the right energy mix to supply clean, reliable and affordable electricity to Albertans,” he said. “This partnership represents an exciting and important step forward in our efforts to decarbonize the grid while maintaining on-demand baseload power.”Added Energy Minister Brian Jean: “SMRs are a critical component of the clean power generation supply mix and hold promise for the oil sands.”Both will be attending a media availability in Edmonton later this afternoon.
Just in the nick of time, Capital Power Corp. and Ontario Power Generation (OPG) on Monday signed a deal to develop and deploy grid-scale modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) in Alberta.Through the agreement, the two companies will examine the feasibility of developing SMRs in Alberta, including possible ownership and operating structures. Capital Power and OPG said they would complete the feasibility assessment within two years, while continuing to work on the next stages of SMR development.“We are at the forefront of electrification which will drive continual growth in demand for power. The deployment of SMR technology will provide an important source of safe, reliable, flexible, affordable and clean base load electricity in Alberta in the future,” Capital Power president and CEO Avik Dey said in a statement..Ontario Power has been operating that province’s fleet of nuclear reactors for decades and is recognized as a world leader in nuclear power. It is in the process of building Canada’s first fleet of SMRs at its Darlington site in Ontario. The first of four units is scheduled to be complete by late 2028 and fully online by 2029.Alberta joins Saskatchewan and New Brunswick that jointly released a strategic plan for SMRs in 2022. Today’s agreement builds on that agreement by taking next steps to commercialization.It comes after Alberta’s electric system operator on Monday issued its third alert in as many days urging resident to limit electricity use or face rolling blackouts. The upshot of SMRs is that they provide reliable baseload generation without any added emissions.It couldn’t come soon enough for Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf, although it will still be several years before any of the units will actually be deployed in Alberta..“Small Modular Reactors have the potential to play a major role in the province’s search for the right energy mix to supply clean, reliable and affordable electricity to Albertans,” he said. “This partnership represents an exciting and important step forward in our efforts to decarbonize the grid while maintaining on-demand baseload power.”Added Energy Minister Brian Jean: “SMRs are a critical component of the clean power generation supply mix and hold promise for the oil sands.”Both will be attending a media availability in Edmonton later this afternoon.
