Proposed Project at Chalk River, Ontario
The MMR® Project at Chalk River is a commercial demonstration project under development by GFP. The project will deploy USNC’s MMR® technology at the Chalk River Laboratories site in Ontario. GFP is currently in Stage 3 of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories' thorough process to select proponents to construct and operate a small modular reactor (SMR) at that location. The application for a Licence to Prepare Site has been filed with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, which regulates all nuclear activities in Canada.
The proposed project includes a nuclear plant containing an MMR® reactor, and an adjacent plant, which are the main physical works related to the project. The nuclear plant provides approximately 15 MW of process heat to the adjacent plant where it is converted to electrical power (up to 5 MW of electricity) and/or heat as per client requirements. The electrical power could also be supplied to the area grid, over an anticipated life span of 20 years. The MMR® technology is an economically competitive alternative to greenhouse gas-emitting diesel power and heat generation, with a smaller environmental footprint. An environmental assessment (EA) is currently underway for this project. For more information on the EA, please visit www.gfpcleanenergy.com.
Read more about GFP’s proposed project in our Project Information and Materials.
Proposed Project Timeline
The following timeline is for planning purposes only and subject to project, licensing and regulatory approvals. The proposed schedule for Submission of Licence Application Information further supports this schedule. This aligns with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ long-term business strategy that includes the goal of siting and constructing an SMR by 2026.
Next Steps
On July 15, 2019, the Canadian Federal Government announced the notice of commencement of the environmental assessment (EA) for the proposed project at Chalk River.
While this is an important milestone, it is still very early in the process. In addition to the successful completion of an EA, there is also a series of regulatory licences that would need to be approved by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, each of which will include the opportunity for Indigenous community, public and stakeholder input.
In parallel to the environmental assessment and licensing processes, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories continues its thorough proponent selection process.