Canada's Nuclear Future 2024

OCTOBER 2024 | INNOVATINGCANADA.CA

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Canada’s Nuclear Future When in production, Rook I will have the capacity to account for approximately 23 per cent of the world’s uranium production at full capacity.

Canada has the natural resources and the uranium deposits to become the world’s leading producer of nuclear fuel once again. But it’s dependent on assets like Rook I coming into production.

Leigh Curyer President & CEO, NexGen Energy

Imagine the possibilities, the impact we can make using Indigenous knowledge and diverse teams in the innovative solutions to climate change, energy, and leadership. The time is now, the opportunities and partnerships are out there to explore. The knowledge and teachings we need to address our current challenges in climate change and energy are substantial in Canada and all over the world and it’s time we collaborate and harness that creativity in our own industry. Each of you reading this have a sphere of influence. Use it.

Tracy Primeau Member, Board of Directors, OPG & WiN Canada, and Founder & Principal, Agile Bear Consulting

Everyone's been touched by knowing someone who’s had cancer. Between enabling lowcarbon, reliable, and safe power generation and increasing access to cancer-fighting medical isotopes, knowing that the amazing work we're doing has a broader societal benefit makes our work much more tangible and meaningful.

Darryl Spector President, Promation

Women make a valuable contribution to nuclear, working in all aspects of the industry. From science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to business, strategic, and operational roles, the career prospects in the nuclear industry are endless, with opportunities to work in exciting and innovative areas.

Lisa McBride President, WiN Canada and Country Leader, Small Modular Reactors, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy

I see the future of Canada's nuclear industry as one of innovation and global leadership. By advancing technologies like SMRs and strengthening our supply chain, Canada will continue to lead in clean energy, driving sustainability both domestically and internationally.

Brian Fehrenbach Interim CEO, OCNI

Everyone will be touched by cancer during their lives. Nuclear medicine and isotopes provide the energy needed to diagnose and treat illnesses like cancer. During a time of discovery and excitement with new radiopharmaceuticals in development, Canada can leverage its existing infrastructure and capabilities to become the global leader in the fight against cancer.

Melody Greaves Manager, Business Strategy, Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council

The world is watching as Ontario builds the first SMR in the G7 and delivers nuclear refurbishment projects on time and on budget.

With energy demand set to double by 2050, we are leading the largest nuclear expansion in modern history to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy for families and businesses.

Stephen Lecce Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Electrification

In Indigenous country, trust, honesty and respect are integral to the success of any relationship, agreement, or project. Without progressive partnerships to serve as the baseline for early engagement with Indigenous Nations, projects do not get completed, and reconciliation is never truly achieved.

Shane Chegahno Vice-President, Makwa Development Corporation

Publisher: Bryan Bilas Business Development Manager: Sarah Ferreira Strategic Account Director: Anna Sibiga Content Strategy Manager: Nicole Kansakar Country Manager: Nina Theodorlis Production & Delivery Manager: Michael Taylor Creative Director: Kylie Armishaw Graphic & Web Designer: Christina Morgan Digital Traffic Strategist: Karm Rathod. All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve Maclean’s Magazine or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to ca.editorial@mediaplanet.com.

GE Hitachi and Ontario Are Partnering to Power the Province’s Future GE Hitachi and the Province of Ontario are leading the charge to develop the first commercial, grid-scale small modular reactors in the western world.

Tania Amardeil

N

uclear energy is clean, safe, and reliable,” says Lisa McBride, Country Leader of GE Hitachi’s SMR Canada business.

“It provides a constant, 24/7 energy supply that’s not dependent on weather conditions or fuel supply limitations.

As Canada works toward its net-zero goals, nuclear energy must be part of the conversation.”

Nuclear energy is indeed critical to Canada’s net-zero strategy — especially the use of small modular reactors (SMRs). These compact nuclear reactors offer a flexible, cost-effective way to generate clean energy. And while they’re small in size, SMRs pack a big punch when it comes to economic and environmental benefits.

A homegrown opportunity with global possibilities In partnership with Ontario Power Generation, GE Hitachi is currently advancing the fi rst of four planned BWRX-300 reactors at Darlington. The Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) will create opportunities for local businesses and generate hundreds of jobs.

“The jobs that’ll go into a project of this nature are highly technical, highly skilled jobs — everything from engineering to project management to skilled trades,” says McBride. “The supply chain in Ontario plays an important role in our project as well, bringing benefits back to the province.”

The project also presents significant export opportunities for supply chain partners

in GE Hitachi’s new qualified supplier group. “Our partners in Ontario will come with us on our journey of global deployment in countries like Poland, the U.K., and the U.S.,” says McBride.

Ontario has a longstanding tradition of nuclear energy innovation, and GE Hitachi likewise shares a reputation of excellence in the field. “We’ve been in the nuclear business since 1955,” says McBride.

“It’s exciting for us to be part of this next chapter of new nuclear technology.”

It’s an energizing time moving forward for this dynamic team, leveraging decades of experience to lead the way toward a greener, cleaner future.

Learn more at gevernova.com/ nuclear.

Lisa McBride Country Leader, Small Modular Reactors, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy

This article was sponsored by GE Hitachi.

Nobel Prize winner, Bertram Brockhouse, in the 1960s.

Supporting Canada’s nuclear future

How McMaster University Is Leading the Future of Neutron Beam Science McMaster University is shaping the future of materials research using neutron beams and training the next generation of experts in the field.

M Tania Amardeil

cMaster University is proudly known as Canada’s nuclear university. “With a suite of nuclear facilities and capabilities - including Canada’s most powerful research reactor - and aligned research institutes and centres that are unique in the world, we’re a key strategic asset in enabling Canada’s nuclear future,” says Dave Tucker, Chief Nuclear Officer and Associate Vice-President of Nuclear at McMaster University.

McMaster is a world-class centre for 2

nuclear research, including materials research and neutron beam science.

“Neutron beam science is a vehicle for understanding the properties of materials at a microscopic level,” explains Bruce Gaulin, Distinguished University Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Brockhouse Chair in the Physics of Materials at McMaster University.

The university’s long-standing leadership in neutron beam science is reflected in its early establishment of the McMaster Nuclear Reactor and the groundbreaking materials research led by former McMaster professor and

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McMaster will soon be home to the Canadian Neutron Beam Laboratory (CNBL), funded through the Canada Foundation for Innovation. “The CNBL will be the national centre for Canada’s domestic neutron beam science,” says Tucker. “Leveraging the key national treasure that is the McMaster Nuclear Reactor, it’ll enable Canada’s neutron beam science community to discover the materials of the future and better understand the materials driving our economy.”

The lab will ensure scientists in Canada and globally can continue to access the necessary infrastructure to address challenges like climate change and a clean economy. “It’ll also be an important vehicle for training the next generation of neutron professionals,” says Gaulin.

This initiative is part of a broader effort by McMaster, in collaboration with Neutrons Canada, to develop more facilities, support researchers in neutron beam science, and expand education and training opportunities for future leaders in the field.

Dave Tucker Chief Nuclear Officer, McMaster Universoty

Bruce Gaulin Brockhouse Chair, Physics of Materials, McMaster University

Learn more at nuclear. mcmaster.ca/ neutron-beams.

This article was sponsored by McMaster University.

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Canada’s Used Nuclear Fuel Solution Supporting Green Growth As Canada increasingly relies on nuclear energy to meet our net-zero goals, ensuring the safe, long-term management of used nuclear fuel is critical.

Tania Amardeil

H

ardly a day goes by without a story about advances in Canada’s nuclear energy sector. Fueled in part by a demand for clean energy sources that will help Canada reach its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, Canada’s nuclear resurgence is supported by governments across the country that are investing in new technologies and considering what more can be done to meet the growing electricity demand.

In Canada, nuclear power is already responsible for 15 per cent of electricity generation. On par with wind, nuclear energy is the lowest-emitting technology, and the Government of Canada has been clear it will play an essential role in decarbonization. Fortunately, Canada is also leading by example when it comes to the responsible long-term management of the country’s used nuclear fuel.

Protecting people and the environment For more than 20 years the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), a not-for-profit organization, has been responsible for managing Canada’s used nuclear fuel and making sure it’s safely contained and isolated in a way that protects people and the environment for generations to come.

“With new nuclear projects moving forward, the public wants to know how the waste will be managed. The good news is that when it comes to used nuclear fuel Canada doesn’t have a nuclear waste problem, it has a nuclear waste solution,” says Laurie Swami, President and CEO of the NWMO. Currently, Canada’s used nuclear fuel is safely managed in facilities licensed for interim storage. This approach is safe, but it’s not a permanent solution because it requires ongoing maintenance and management. People across the country have agreed that we need to take responsible and long-term action now and that we cannot leave it for the next generation.

That’s why the NWMO is implementing Canada’s plan for

the safe, long-term management of used nuclear fuel, by containing and isolating it in a deep geological repository.

Leading with experience A deep geological repository uses a combination of engineered and natural barriers to safely contain and isolate used nuclear fuel. This approach is the culmination of decades of research, development, and demonstration of technologies and techniques. It is consistent with best practices around the world.

“More than 20 years of experience have brought us to the point where we are today, as we prepare to select a site for the deep geological repository,” says Swami.

Canada’s plan for used nuclear fuel will only proceed in an area with informed and willing hosts, where the municipality, First Nations and others in the area are working together to implement it.

“Of the 22 communities that initially expressed interest in learning about the project and exploring their potential to host it, we’ve now narrowed our focus to two potential sites,” says Swami. One site is in the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation-Ignace area in northwestern Ontario and the other is in the Saugeen Ojibway Nation-South Bruce area in southern Ontario.

Ready for the future Recent announcements about investments in nuclear technology highlight the ongoing need and responsibility we all have to secure a safe, long-term facility to store Canada’s used nuclear fuel. New nuclear is likely to be a reality in Canada as governments look for solutions to reach net zero and meet the rising demand for electricity.

Canada’s plan for used nuclear fuel is well underway and ready to adjust to that new reality.

Laurie Swami President & CEO, NWMO

To learn more about the NWMO and Canada’s plan, visit nwmo.ca.

This article was sponsored by NWMO.

The Nearly Invisible Uranium Mine: A New Standard of Sustainability Canada’s first ‘no-dig’ uranium mine is on its way.

C Frank Campagna

anadian uranium is key to unlocking a green nuclear energy future. The big question is how to responsibly extract it? At the Wheeler River Project in Saskatchewan, Denison Mines has an innovative answer with their Phoenix deposit.

Phoenix is estimated to contain over 50 million pounds U3O8 in proven and probable uranium reserves, and Denison plans to extract it without a conventional mine. Instead, they will create a protective perimeter with ground freezing and use In-Situ Recovery (ISR) technology to saturate the sandstone A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET

hosting the uranium (400 metres below surface) with a mining solution injected and recovered through boreholes. Despite significant annual production (~5 per cent of global supply), the surface footprint of the project is only one square kilometre, and the comprehensive environmental assessment prepared shows potential for a superior standard of sustainability.

With production planned to commence as early as 2027, Phoenix marks the fi rst time this method has been deployed in Canada. ISR also has the potential to be low cost, with Denison’s Feasibility Study projecting production costs among the world’s lowest.

To learn more, visit denisonmines.com.

This article was sponsored by Denison Mines.

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A Globally Sustainable Future Requires a Nimble Canadian Nuclear Fuel Supply The world’s rapidly growing appetite for clean energy can only be fed by Canadian uranium.

But can we responsibly grow the uranium supply in time?

D.F. McCourt

W

e are facing, in Canada and around the globe, two simultaneous energy crises. First and foremost, we must ensure that our energy supply is clean and from a politically stable and sustainable source, in the face of an ongoing climate emergency. But even as we greatly expand renewable capacity through technologies like wind and solar, we must also reckon with the second crisis. We simply don’t have enough energy supply to meet the world’s crucial and rapidly growing energy demand.

Reliable Carbon-Free Power Source What we need is a huge and unprecedented influx of new low-carbon baseload energy, far more than what renewables alone can provide. What we need, in other words, is a nuclear renaissance. And we need it urgently.

“The demand for power in Canada, but also worldwide, is incredibly robust at a time when the infrastructure and the provision of power is probably at the most stressed it's ever been historically, due to an underinvestment in power infrastructure over the last three decades,” says Leigh Curyer, President and CEO of NexGen Energy. “Nuclear is the go-to with respect to cheap, reliable, and carbon free power, but there needs to be a sensible transition. If the investment into nuclear power, wind, and solar doesn't occur early enough and materially enough, power prices are going to continue to rise, and we’ll see rolling brownouts throughout the developed world.”

We have, here in Canada, the established expertise to lead the world in a massive expansion of nuclear capacity. But the biggest obstacle in the path to a stable nuclear future is not building the reactors, it’s securing the nuclear fuel supply.

URANIUM'S RISING DEMAND

With demand expected to triple by 20501, the world requires multiple Rook I sized projects to be found, permitted, financed and constructed over the next 20 years.

WNA - World Nuclear Fuel Report 2023 - Upper Case scenario 1. OECD Uranium 2022, Resources, Production, Demand

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NexGen’s Rook I Project is being developed with elite ESG commitments focused on environmental protection and maximizing community benefits through a partnership approach.

Canada can be a World Leader In 2014, NexGen discovered the largest, highest-grade uranium deposit in Canada beneath Saskatchewan’s Southwest Athabasca Basin. The Arrow Deposit forms the basis for the Company’s Rook I Project which is in the final stages of federal regulatory approvals. Upon approval, Rook I will be adding over a hundred million kilograms of uranium to the global supply, significantly alleviating our reliance on fuel from high-risk countries like Russia and Kazakhstan.

“As per the Rook I Feasibility Study, this will be the largest uranium producing project in Canadian history,” says Curyer. “When in production, it alone will have the capacity to account for approximately 23 per cent of the world’s uranium production at full capacity. Canada has the natural resources and the uranium deposits to become the world’s leading producer of nuclear fuel once again. But it’s dependent on assets like Rook I coming into production.”

Expediting Development Without Compromise The regulatory framework for a project like this one is understandably vast and meticulous, but historically is also counterproductively slow. Recognizing the growing urgency, Canada’s 2024 Federal Budget announced an Action Plan (Building Canada’s Clean Future) intended to improve federal regulatory and permitting processes to help expedite the advancement of material clean energy projects.

“Canada’s reputation on safety and environmental impact in uranium mining is elite,” says Curyer. “A big part of the reason for this reputation is the rigorous regulatory process, which is transparent and thorough, and the Canadian population can be very proud of the regulatory framework. Canada’s Action Plan is a fantastic opportunity to accelerate the transition to clean energy by optimizing the regulatory process to fi nd efficiencies, mitigate duplication, and enhance early engagement to drive timely decisions on projects that are not only crucial to local communities, the Province and Canada, but in addition, to delivering a leading solution to the rest of the world.”

The Rook I Project is finally approaching the regulatory finish line. The provincial approvals are in. The enthusiastic support of local Indigenous communities has been fully formalized through historic Benefit Agreements. Once federal approval is secured, Rook I can begin construction, and be supplying the market with much-needed nuclear fuel, in 40 months. “We are ready to literally start construction the very next day,” Curyer emphasizes, “once we have fi nal federal environmental approval and licensing.”

However, even once approval for

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Find out how NexGen is meeting commitments for a sustainable tomorrow at nexgenenergy.ca.

Rook I is finalized, the global quest for a robust and stable nuclear fuel supply will still have only just begun.

“The production from Rook I is only going to be replacing production that is forecast to come offline around the world between now and 2028,” says Curyer.

“Given the demand scenario, between now and 2030, between 2030 and 2050, the world needs three to four projects of this scale coming online starting in the next four years and continuously thereafter, yet they just don’t exist.”

And so Curyer’s backing of a more streamlined and expedited regulatory process is not just about NexGen’s Rook I Project. It’s also about the next project, and the project after that, whoever may build them. Because we need every one of them, and we need them as quickly as we can manage without compromising our principles of safety, community, and environmental stewardship.

The Rook I Project squarely fits with all of the Government of Canada’s targets with respect to critical minerals, Indigenous engagement, and decarbonization, and all will be instrumental to building Canada’s place as the leading supplier of the cleanest baseload fuel source known to mankind.

Leigh Curyer President & CEO, NexGen Energy

This article was sponsored by NexGen Energy.

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