OPG gets final permission to construct first North American SMR

The approval comes after OPG received a license to construct the first SMR unit from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in April and clears the way for construction to begin, with completion of the first unit scheduled by the end of the decade. OPG must secure an operating license before the 300-MWe boiling water reactor can begin commercial operation.

Aecon Kiewit Nuclear Partners, a partnership between Aecon and Kiewit Nuclear Canada, announced yesterday it has a contract from OPG for the execution phase of the project, covering project management, construction planning, and execution.

It’s good to be first: “This is truly a historic moment,” said Nicolle Butcher, OPG’s president and CEO. “This made-in-Ontario project will support provincial companies, create jobs for Ontarians, and spur growth for our economy. OPG is proud to be leading this first-of-a-kind project.”

Deploying and operating four SMRs is expected to increase Canada’s GDP by C$38.5 billion over 65 years, according to the Conference Board of Canada. OPG expects the fleet of four BWRX-300s to sustain, on average, about 3,700 jobs per year over 65 years of operation, including 18,000 jobs per year during construction. About 80 percent of project spending will go to companies across Ontario, with C$500 million of annual input for the province’s supply chain.

“As a first mover on SMRs, Ontario will also be able to market our capabilities and nuclear expertise to the world to further grow our domestic industry,” Butcher said.

Maví Zingoni, CEO of power at GE Vernova, said, “In deploying the first BWRX-300 small modular reactor, Ontario is leading the way globally in the deployment of SMRs. Our work with OPG and project partners will serve as a benchmark for the global nuclear industry.”

“As the world looks to adopt SMR technology, we are proud to be embarking on construction of the first BWRX-300 with OPG, AtkinsRéalis, and Aecon,” said Lisa McBride, Canada country leader at GVH. “Ontario’s supply chain is expected to contribute significantly to this project bringing substantial economic benefits to the province including the creation of thousands of jobs during manufacturing, construction, and operation.”

On site: Considerable early site preparation has already been completed, and some long-lead components have been procured.

According to OPG, site leveling began in 2022, and crews have installed utilities, including fire lines, water lines, sanitary sewer lines, and network cabling. Construction on some structures, including the on-site fabrication building, has begun, and the reactor building shaft is being excavated.

The team has secured long-lead components, including the reactor pressure vessel—being fabricated by BWX Technologies—which is over 30 meters long and over 6 meters in diameter and weighs 550 metric tons, and the generator rotor, which is expected to arrive on-site by summer 2027.

Later this summer, the project’s tunnel boring machine—nicknamed “Harriett Brooks” after Canada’s first female nuclear physicist—will arrive from Germany and be stored until assembly in early 2026. Once operational, the machine will drill the unit’s condenser cooling water tunnel, which will be 3.4 kilometers long and 6.05 meters in diameter.

What else is at Darlington? According to GVH, GE’s support for the Canadian nuclear industry dates to the early 1950s when the company helped build Canada’s first nuclear power plant—the Nuclear Power Demonstration reactor—that became the basis for Canada’s pressurized heavy water CANDU fleet.

Darlington hosts four operating CANDU reactors, each rated at 878 net MWe, which entered commercial operation between 1990 and 1993.

OPG anticipates that “more than 7,000 lessons learned” from its Darlington Refurbishment project, which remains on track for completion by 2026, will ensure the SMR construction project proceeds on schedule.