Sask. welcomes Alberta into SMR MOU, feasibility study positive on possibilities

On Wednesday morning, Saskatchewan’s premier helped welcome another province into the group looking at widening the use of small modular reactors (SMRs) in Canada.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney signed on to the memorandum of understanding around the nuclear power option that Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick all signed in December 2019.

Premier Scott Moe said he’s grateful Alberta is formally joining the effort.

“This is a good day for our province, this is a good day for all provinces, and it’s a good day for Canada. And I believe it’s a very good day for a world that is searching for solutions to how we address climate change and to ensure a reliable supply of clean energy for decades to come,” said Moe.

Moe said the MOU is now stronger that Alberta is on board.

At the same time, the group released a feasibility study on the research that was done on the development and deployment of SMRs. For the most part, the study had a positive outlook.

It identified three streams of project proposals. The first involves Ontario developing an SMR to be operational by 2028, with Saskatchewan following suit with up to four SMRs possibly in service by the end of 2032 and the possibility of more fleets being brought into service every year until 2042.

The report concluded SMRs could provide significant environmental and economic benefits to Saskatchewan. The biggest environmental benefit outlined in the report was a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 73 megatonnes between 2025 and 2050.

The economic benefits the report pointed out include support for the economy as coal is phased out by 2030, opportunities for participation from Indigenous communities, new and wider markets for Saskatchewan’s uranium sector which is one of the largest in the world, and expanding Saskatchewan’s nuclear research capacity.

The report noted a competitive price will be an important factor in the feasibility of SMRs in Saskatchewan, and the province will need to see a finished project before the feasibility can be accurately assessed.

A final decision, according to the report, isn’t expected from Saskatchewan on the deployment of SMRs until 2029.

Next, SaskPower will work with groups from the other provinces to create a joint strategic plan, expected to be finished this spring.

Small modular reactors produce up to 300 megawatts of power, and can be deployed to large and small grids, remote communities and resource projects.