The Government of Saskatchewan announced plans June 24 to establish an office to coordinate nuclear policy and program work within the Climate Change & Adaptation Division in the Ministry of Environment. The development and execution of a strategic plan for deployment of clean energy small modular reactors will be the primary mandate of the Nuclear Secretariat.
“The deployment of small modular reactors in Saskatchewan will require collaboration with several partners to fully encompass the benefits Saskatchewan could see in way of jobs, enhanced value-chains for Saskatchewan’s uranium, and our made-in-Saskatchewan climate policy,” Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said.
Last Fall, Premier Moe led a MOU on small modular reactors with the Premiers of Ontario and New Brunswick to cooperate in deploying this new technology across the country. Broader collaboration with the Government of Saskatchewan is expected to facilitate opportunities within the province for financing, regulation, labour capacity, public engagement and economic growth.
“Clean nuclear energy will provide Saskatchewan the tools to fight climate change,” Duncan said. “The advancement of small modular reactors in Canada brings economic and environmental benefits with new clean technology that is also safe, reliable and competitively priced power.”
Small modular reactors are nuclear power reactors that can produce electricity in the range of 50 to 300 megawatts, as compared to current nuclear power plants that range between 600 and 1,600 megawatts. Small modular reactors are low emitting technology that can provide baseload power within an electrical grid.
See also “OPG partnership to build & operate modular reactor,” elsewhere this issue in Ontario News.