Saskatchewan is set to establish the inaugural safety, licensing, and testing facility for small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) in Western Canada. At present, Canada relies on nuclear energy for 15% of its power, with none of it originating from Western Canada. The upcoming center will be situated near the University of Regina within Innovation Saskatchewan’s research and technology park.
The facility will accommodate two small modular reactor “test loops,” which replicate a segment of a reactor, as described by SaskPower, the Crown corporation overseeing the exploration of nuclear power’s future in the province. Jeremy Harrison, the minister overseeing SaskPower, expressed that the testing facility will position Saskatchewan as a hub for “nuclear excellence,” fostering a local “nuclear workforce and supply chain.”
Arthur Situm, the Canada Research Chair in SMR safety and a professor at the University of Regina, mentioned that the test loops will be non-nuclear devices designed to mimic real reactor conditions, enabling researchers to analyze various aspects, including reactor component chemistry. This development will allow post-secondary institutions in the province to introduce new training and research programs in nuclear engineering, thermal hydraulics, chemistry, and safety, according to SaskPower.
Rupen Pandya, president and CEO of SaskPower, emphasized that the training center will assist in attracting and nurturing the talent required to actualize nuclear power generation in Saskatchewan. SaskPower is deliberating on the potential construction of an SMR in the province, with Estevan identified as the probable location if the project materializes. A decision on the final site is expected later this year, with a resolution on building an SMR anticipated by the end of 2029, construction commencing in 2031, and completion slated for 2034.
To establish the testing center, SaskPower is contributing $4 million, supplemented by $2 million from the federal government through Prairies Economic Development Canada, and a $1 million contribution from Innovation Saskatchewan, alongside in-kind support for the first three years of the leased space at the research and technology park. Additionally, the Canadian Nuclear Laboratory will provide in-kind design assistance, as confirmed by SaskPower.