Canadian nuclear supply chain ready for new build, company says

Monday, 16 December 2024

Some 97% of the investment the company had made over the year to 12 December was issued to Canadian companies, standing as a testament to Candu technology’s “deep roots” in Canada, Candu Energy President and CEO Gary Rose said.

Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd, in cooperation with Canadian industry, began developing the first Candu (its name is taken from Canada deuterium uranium) pressurised heavy water reactor in the late 1950s. The first commercial Candu reactors began operation in Pickering, Ontario, in 1971. Today, Candu power reactors are in operation in seven countries – Canada, Argentina, China, India, Pakistan, Romania and South Korea – as well as pressurised heavy water reactors in India which are derived from the Candu design.

Last year, AtkinsRéalis unveiled the Candu Monark, a Generation III+ reactor with an output of 1000 MW – the highest of any Candu technology – featuring simplified construction and operation and a longer operating life of 70 years. Candu Energy recently announced it is entering into a special project with Canadian nuclear regulators to plan for a Pre-Licensing Design Review of the new reactor’s suitability to be licensed and built in Canada.

This year has seen the launch of the campaign to promote the deployment of Candu nuclear technology at home and abroad, and an independent study from the Conference Board of Canada showed the positive economic impact to Canada from the construction of a 4-unit Monark plant. That study found the manufacturing, engineering, and construction phase of four Candu Monark units alone would generate more than CAD40.9 billion of GDP impact for Canada and equivalent to more than 20,000 full-time jobs, and an additional CAD49.5 billion of GDP impact during the operation phase, when it would sustain 3,500 full-time equivalent jobs per year over a 70-plus years operating life.

“We continue to call on our governments to support the Canadian nuclear sector and protect Canadian jobs in their drive to reach net-zero emissions,” Rose said. “Large Candu nuclear reactors – the only technology designed, built, supplied and serviced from within Canada – are essential to meet our clean energy needs while supporting Canadian workers during construction, and over their 70 years of operations. Due to its natural uranium fuel source that does not require foreign enrichment capabilities, Candu is also the only option that guarantees Canada’s energy security.”

Candu Energy Inc is an AtkinsRéalis company.