Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), Atomic Energy of Canada
Limited (AECL), and AtkinsRéalis are pleased to announce that they
have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore
opportunities to collaborate on heavy water production. The
agreement comes amidst renewed interest in domestic nuclear energy
production in Canada, including the potential deployment of
large-scale nuclear power reactors in Ontario, which may require
significant volumes of heavy water to operate, depending on the
design selected.
As the owner and operator of Canada’s national
nuclear laboratories, AECL and CNL collectively maintain the
necessary expertise, technology, facilities and intellectual
property (IP) necessary for the production, management and
upgrading of heavy water, a form of water that is used as a
moderator and coolant in Canada’s current fleet of CANDU® reactors.
These capabilities complement those at AtkinsRéalis, an
international leader in the nuclear industry and steward of CANDU
technology that has introduced a next-generation CANDU reactor.
Known as the CANDU® MONARK™, the 1,000 MW nuclear reactor would
require the use of heavy water in its operation, like other CANDU
reactors, and represents the only large-scale reactor developed
domestically in Canada.
“Alongside our client, AECL, CNL is thrilled to
enter into this MOU with AtkinsRéalis, an agreement that leverages
our extensive expertise and resources in heavy water production,
and which acts as a meaningful step forward in the deployment of
home-grown, large-scale nuclear power here in Canada,” commented
Jack Craig, CNL’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “As
operator of AECL’s Chalk River Laboratories, which is the
birthplace of the CANDU reactor, CNL is well-versed in this
technology, and we play a significant role in ensuring its safe and
reliable operation around the world. The CANDU reactor design is a
proven technology and CNL will continue to support the technology
now and into the future, which includes establishing the necessary
heavy water inventory and production capabilities.”
“I am pleased that AECL, CNL and AtkinsRéalis
are collaborating and working together to advance heavy water
production for CANDU reactor technology. CANDU technology is
uniquely positioned to contribute to important national objectives
such as decarbonization, energy security, economic growth and
maintaining Canada’s Tier-1 nuclear nation status,” said Fred
Dermarkar, President & Chief Executive Officer of
AECL.
“CANDU technology, as Canada’s only domestically
developed large scale nuclear technology, is a source of national
pride,” said Joe St. Julian, President, Nuclear, AtkinsRéalis. “We
are honoured to continue stewarding and enhancing its reputation as
a leading global nuclear technology. A reliable supply of heavy
water will also safeguard the supply of the global isotope market
with cancer-fighting nuclear medicine, as CANDU reactors— with
Ontario’s supplying 50% of the world’s supply of Cobalt 60 — are
the only commercial scale reactors that can produce such medical
isotopes while also producing power at the same time.”
According to terms of the MOU, the organizations
will explore opportunities to work together, along with additional
strategic partners whose expertise could accelerate technologies,
to either produce or upgrade heavy water that could be used in the
commissioning and operation of new CANDU reactors in Canada. All
three organizations recognize that the construction of CANDU
reactor new builds would require significant volumes of heavy
water, a need that would require the construction of new facilities
in Canada. They also have a shared interest in advancing this
technology towards deployment that goes beyond commercial
opportunities, recognizing that it contributes to important
national policy objectives in Canada, including decarbonisation,
energy security, economic growth and maintaining Canada’s position
as a leading nuclear nation. In addition to the current
collaboration, AECL and CNL intend to play a leadership role in
additional initiatives to support the success of this nascent
industry in Canada.
“As the owner of CANDU intellectual property
licensed to Candu Energy Inc. and owner of Canada’s national
nuclear laboratory at Chalk River, Ontario, managed and operated by
CNL, AECL is committed to seeing its CANDU technology and the
unique capability of its national laboratory leveraged for the
benefit of Canadians,” commented Grant Gardiner, EVP, Business
Strategy & Development. “We believe establishing a secure,
domestic and economically viable supply of heavy water is vital to
the continuing success of CANDU technology and are proud of the
unique capability that our national laboratory brings to this
effort.”
Heavy water is a form of water in which the
normal hydrogen is replaced by a heavier form of hydrogen called
deuterium. In the case of CANDU® reactors, heavy water has two
applications – first, it is used as a moderator to slow the speed
of neutrons during the fission process, which allows operators to
regulate the reactor’s power output. It is also used as a coolant,
circulating throughout the reactor core to cool it down and keep it
to the desired temperature. Leveraging AECL’s facilities and IP,
CNL is a world leader in the production, management and upgrading
of heavy water.
“The deployment of large-scale nuclear power in
Canada is an enormous undertaking, and will require extensive
alignment and coordination between organizations, industries,
public officials and regulators from across the country,” added
Craig. “Heavy water is one key piece of the larger puzzle, and AECL
and CNL are working together to play a leadership role in this
process, ensuring that the broader industry is working towards a
shared vision, and that the necessary inventory and production
capabilities are in place to supply these reactors. CNL looks
forward to leveraging our world-leading expertise, experience and
CNL-managed, AECL-owned IP in heavy water production and upgrading
to support the deployment of new CANDU reactors in Canada with
AtkinsRéalis. By doing so, we will strive to make Canada the leader
in the global heavy water market.”
For more information on AECL, please visit
www.aecl.ca. If you’d like to learn more about CNL, including its
work related to heavy water production and management, please visit
www.cnl.ca. For additional details on AtkinsRéalis and the CANDU®
MONARK™, visit www.atkinsrealis.com/monark.
About Atomic Energy of Canada
Limited
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) is a
federal Crown corporation with a mandate to drive nuclear
opportunities for Canada. Working through a government-owned /
contractor-operated (GoCo) model that is executed by its
contractor, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, AECL enables nuclear
science and technology through its Chalk River Laboratories,
Canada’s largest research complex, and by engaging with academia
and private industry to advance nuclear innovation. It is committed
to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. It also
manages the Government of Canada’s radioactive waste
responsibilities. AECL continues to own the intellectual property
for the CANDU® reactor technology and is accountable for deriving
optimal benefit from this technology for Canada. Read more on AECL
at www.aecl.ca.
About CNL
As Canada’s premier nuclear science and
technology laboratory and working under the direction of Atomic
Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), CNL is a world leader in the
development of innovative nuclear science and technology products
and services. Guided by an ambitious corporate strategy known as
Vision 2030, CNL fulfills three strategic priorities of national
importance – restoring and protecting the environment, advancing
clean energy technologies, and contributing to the health of
Canadians.
By leveraging the assets owned by AECL, CNL also
serves as the nexus between government, the nuclear industry, the
broader private sector and the academic community. CNL works in
collaboration with these sectors to advance innovative Canadian
products and services towards real-world use, including carbon-free
energy, cancer treatments and other therapies, non-proliferation
technologies and waste management solutions.
To learn more about CNL, please visit
www.cnl.ca.
About AtkinsRéalis
Created by the integration of long-standing
organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-leading
professional services and project management company dedicated to
engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We
create sustainable solutions that connect people, data and
technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy
systems. We deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and
deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of
an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental
services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design &
engineering, procurement, project & construction management,
operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital. The
breadth and depth of our capabilities are delivered to clients in
key strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear,
Operations & Maintenance and Capital. News and information are
available at www.atkinsrealis.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
CNL Contact:Philip
KompassDirector, Corporate
Communications1-866-886-2325media@cnl.ca