Canada’s upcoming nuclear expansion will see the initial reactors relying on foreign sources, including the United States, for fuel enrichment and fabrication. This shift contrasts with Canada’s previous Candu reactor system, which predominantly utilized domestic nuclear supply chains for over 50 years. The province of Ontario has commenced construction on the first of four planned BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMRs) in Clarington, known as the Darlington New Nuclear Project. These American-Japanese-designed reactors will operate on low-enriched uranium, unlike the Candu reactors that utilize domestically produced natural uranium without enrichment.
Ontario Power Generation (OPG) anticipates connecting the first BWRX-300 reactor at Darlington to the grid by the end of 2030, with the remaining three scheduled for the mid-2030s. The uranium ore will be mined in Saskatchewan by Cameco, a Saskatoon-based uranium mining and nuclear fuel company, before being converted in Port Hope, Ontario, and enriched in the United States. OPG has also identified France’s Orano and Britain’s Urenco as potential enriched uranium suppliers, with an American company handling the fabrication of the fuel assemblies in the United States.
This shift in strategy has experts questioning Canada’s energy sovereignty, as it deviates from the original intent of the Candu program. By relying on foreign sources for enriched uranium, Canada risks exposing its nuclear fuel supply to geopolitical vulnerabilities during political disputes. Although OPG argues that involving multiple suppliers creates a resilient supply chain, the enrichment and fabrication processes for the BWRX-300 remain in foreign control, which Canada cannot perform.
Ontario’s Energy Minister Stephen Lecce explained that the decision to opt for a foreign reactor was due to the absence of a viable Canadian alternative for generating electricity at the required capacity. While Canada is developing a new domestic reactor, the Candu Monark, it was not suitable for Ontario’s SMR project. To mitigate risks associated with foreign dependence, Ontario has secured access to enrichment suppliers in the United States, France, and Britain.
The use of SMRs is expected to reduce the amount of enriched fuel required, but challenges remain in ensuring a stable supply chain. Establishing a domestic uranium-enrichment industry could potentially eliminate Canada’s reliance on foreign suppliers, but this would involve significant costs and regulatory complexities. Despite the advantages of SMRs in terms of cost and infrastructure, concerns persist regarding the long-term liabilities and waste management implications associated with these new reactors.