The Governments of Saskatchewan and Alberta have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance the development of nuclear power generation to provide affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity grids by 2050.The MOU will support collaboration and information sharing on key areas of nuclear power generation, including nuclear supply chains and workforce development, the security of supply of fuels, and the development and regulation of nuclear reactor technologies, including small modular reactors (SMRs). The provinces will also work to advance industrial decarbonization and enhance grid capabilities.In a press release, Saskatchewan Crown Investments Corporation Minister Dustin Duncan said the two provinces were in alignment.“Saskatchewan has a long-standing cooperative relationship with Alberta on energy development, and we share similar challenges and opportunities related to decarbonization,” Duncan said. “I look forward to continued collaboration with the Government of Alberta on meeting the power needs of our provinces, while growing our economies and introducing new nuclear industries.”Alberta Affordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf had parallel comments.“Alberta is proud to partner with Saskatchewan on further exploring how we can ensure our power grids are affordable, reliable, and sustainable,” Neudorf said.“Our provinces are leading the world in responsible energy development, and we look forward to learning from Saskatchewan’s experience with nuclear generation.”In 2019, Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick signed an MOU to advance SMRs in Canada, with Alberta formally joining the MOU in 2021. The Interprovincial Strategic Plan for the Development of Small Modular Reactors, developed by the four MOU provinces, was released in March 2022. The new, bilateral MOU between Saskatchewan and Alberta has additional areas of interest such as industrial decarbonization and grid reliability. Saskatchewan NDP MLA Aleana Young told reporters it was "nice to see some collaborative announcements" happen, but said "environmental concerns" and other details had to be addressed."Nuclear power might end up being a good option, the option for baseload generation here in Saskatchewan, but it's impossible to tell. There's no clarity around financial information, which is significant when we're talking about anywhere from $5 to $7 billion per unit. There's no information on ownership, that kind of changes, depending on which minister you talk to," Young said."This is a really important decision for the province and a really important conversation with the people of the province and we just don't see that transparency."The Sask Party government under Brad Wall explored the option of nuclear power generation, noting its natural fit with uranium production in the province. Loud objections over environmental issues and financial hurdles of the day led the province to drop its pursuit.Times have changed, Young noted, though not entirely."My sense from talking to people in the province, young, old, across communities is that people want affordable, reliable and sustainable power. And for a lot of people who believe fervently in the importance of climate change, who believe that we need to be as a province acting faster and with more urgency, a lot of those people see a nuclear power generation as an opportunity," she said."There's also as you rightly pointed out a lot of people who will hear the words nuclear, and will say, 'No, not ever.'"
The Governments of Saskatchewan and Alberta have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance the development of nuclear power generation to provide affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity grids by 2050.The MOU will support collaboration and information sharing on key areas of nuclear power generation, including nuclear supply chains and workforce development, the security of supply of fuels, and the development and regulation of nuclear reactor technologies, including small modular reactors (SMRs). The provinces will also work to advance industrial decarbonization and enhance grid capabilities.In a press release, Saskatchewan Crown Investments Corporation Minister Dustin Duncan said the two provinces were in alignment.“Saskatchewan has a long-standing cooperative relationship with Alberta on energy development, and we share similar challenges and opportunities related to decarbonization,” Duncan said. “I look forward to continued collaboration with the Government of Alberta on meeting the power needs of our provinces, while growing our economies and introducing new nuclear industries.”Alberta Affordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf had parallel comments.“Alberta is proud to partner with Saskatchewan on further exploring how we can ensure our power grids are affordable, reliable, and sustainable,” Neudorf said.“Our provinces are leading the world in responsible energy development, and we look forward to learning from Saskatchewan’s experience with nuclear generation.”In 2019, Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick signed an MOU to advance SMRs in Canada, with Alberta formally joining the MOU in 2021. The Interprovincial Strategic Plan for the Development of Small Modular Reactors, developed by the four MOU provinces, was released in March 2022. The new, bilateral MOU between Saskatchewan and Alberta has additional areas of interest such as industrial decarbonization and grid reliability. Saskatchewan NDP MLA Aleana Young told reporters it was "nice to see some collaborative announcements" happen, but said "environmental concerns" and other details had to be addressed."Nuclear power might end up being a good option, the option for baseload generation here in Saskatchewan, but it's impossible to tell. There's no clarity around financial information, which is significant when we're talking about anywhere from $5 to $7 billion per unit. There's no information on ownership, that kind of changes, depending on which minister you talk to," Young said."This is a really important decision for the province and a really important conversation with the people of the province and we just don't see that transparency."The Sask Party government under Brad Wall explored the option of nuclear power generation, noting its natural fit with uranium production in the province. Loud objections over environmental issues and financial hurdles of the day led the province to drop its pursuit.Times have changed, Young noted, though not entirely."My sense from talking to people in the province, young, old, across communities is that people want affordable, reliable and sustainable power. And for a lot of people who believe fervently in the importance of climate change, who believe that we need to be as a province acting faster and with more urgency, a lot of those people see a nuclear power generation as an opportunity," she said."There's also as you rightly pointed out a lot of people who will hear the words nuclear, and will say, 'No, not ever.'"