Canada issues licence to build a small modular reactor

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) announced that it had granted Ontario Power Generation (OPG) a licence to construct a BWRX-300 modular reactor. The Darlington New Nuclear Project will be built at Clarington in the province of Ontario.

Licence conditions and validity

In its decision, the CNSC said that OPG is qualified to carry out the project and has programmes of sufficient quality to ensure the safety of workers and the public, as well as protect the environment. The company also meets the requirements for safeguarding national security and fulfilling Canada's international obligations.

The licence is valid until 31 March 2035 and includes specific conditions relating to the site. Regulatory hold points have also been set during construction, at which OPG will have to provide the CNSC with additional information before work can continue.

The CNSC's current decision does not include permission to operate the reactor itself. Such permission can only be granted following a separate licensing process and approval, if OPG applies for it.

Project history

Ontario Power Generation applied for a licence to prepare the site for a new reactor as early as September 2006. The CNSC began an environmental assessment in May 2007, which was completed in 2012. The Canadian government concluded at the time that the Darlington New Nuclear Project was unlikely to have significant adverse environmental effects.

In December 2021, OPG announced that it had selected the BWRX-300 reactor from General Electric Hitachi for construction at the Darlington site. It submitted its application for a construction licence in October 2022.

The government of the Canadian province of Ontario announced in 2023 that it was preparing to build three more BWRX-300 small modular reactors.