Integrating Advanced SMRs and Renewables to Serve Customers with Low-Carbon Energy

Electricity Canada: The Grid 2022

Dominique Couture

Corporate Communications, NB Power

When it comes to climate change action and energy production, we are told that in order to meet Canada’s carbon emission reductions objectives, we need to transition to more renewable sources of energy.

This holds true in New Brunswick - the transition must be done with reliable and low carbon-emitting sources of energy that can provide the capacity that NB Power needs in order to safely meet customer demand.

As part of its energy supply planning, NB Power reviews various generation supply options for the province of New Brunswick. In the context of emerging requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this includes consideration of all low-carbon energy sources, such as hydro, wind, solar and nuclear. At the same time, NB Power is looking at energy storage options as a tool to integrate more renewables on the grid. While all low-carbon sources are important contributors to achieving net zero energy supply, they each play different roles in NB Power’s electricity system.

To ensure that New Brunswickers can count on electricity being available when they need it, NB Power must effectively balance supply with demand. Energy and capacity are both needed to continuously meet customer demand safely and reliably. While some renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, are good sources of electrical energy, they do have limited generation capacity. They can only provide electricity when the wind is blowing or when the sun is shining, so they cannot always be relied upon when customers need it.

As a result, in order to provide a constant amount of electricity to the grid, wind and solar must be paired with a firm and dependable low carbon-emitting energy source that is available when required,

Electricity Canada: The Grid 2022

such as a Small Modular Reactor (SMR). SMRs will provide a constant amount of electricity to the grid, and have the ability to ramp up and down quickly to take advantage of renewables when they are available and enhance reliability of flowing power.

In New Brunswick, the current largest sources of safe, reliable, on-command and carbon-free electrical capacity and energy comes from Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station and NB Power’s hydroelectric fleet. Together, these stations provide New Brunswickers with roughly half of their electrical energy and capacity needs. With limited additional hydroelectric generation potential, additional nuclear is the only carbon-free electrical capacity development option.

New Brunswick is currently 80 per cent carbon free. For NB Power to continue to deliver safe, reliable, sustainable and cost-effective electricity to its customers as it continues to lower its emissions, the organization is looking at the integration of all non-emitting and carbon-free generation. This includes advanced SMRs, which can help reduce carbon emissions further by replacing conventional carbon-emitting energy sources like coal and gas on the New Brunswick grid.

Advanced SMRs provide NB Power an opportunity to expand its sources of electrical capacity and energy to meet the growing needs of New Brunswickers for electricity, through the electrification of transportation and further electrification of industrial processes. They also produce a high-quality steam which allows for potential future partnerships with industrial applications. “New Brunswick has the potential to become a centre of excellence for the development of the advanced SMR technology as NB Power strives to be Net Zero by 2035,” comments Brett Plummer, NB Power’s Vice President Nuclear and Chief Nuclear Officer, “It would create even more benefits for the province, including approximately 730 jobs per year over 15 years, $1 billion in GDP and $120 million in provincial government revenue.”

As there are many changes in the energy sector, and pressures related to climate change and reducing our carbon footprint, NB Power is showing leadership and innovation in finding new sources of energy for New Brunswick’s future needs. Generating 400 megawatts through advanced SMRs could reduce cumulative greenhouse gas emissions in the province by 15-20 megatons over a 10-year period from 2031 to 2040, presenting a tremendous opportunity that will move New Brunswick one step closer to reaching Net Zero carbon emissions.