Small Modular Nuclear Reactors in Canada BY STEVEN BROOKS PMP, ANDREW FRASER P ENG & FRED BERANEK PHD ENG, FLUOR CANADA LTD.
INTRODUCTION The challenge of reducing Canada’s carbon emissions while simultaneously meeting projected growth in energy demand will require a fundamental shift in energy production. Nuclear and more specifically Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMNRs) are an attractive solution to help meet this future state (Canada Energy Regulator, 2020). Unlike wind and solar which suffer from intermittency concerns and the associated green-house gas (GHG) emissions associated with gas-fired generation, nuclear power can provide a steady baseload to the grid, is capable of load following improving overall grid stability and does not emit any GHGs (Office of Nuclear Energy, 2021). Unlike previous generations of nuclear power generation, the smaller footprint, scalable nature, and improved safety of SMNRs makes them attractive for niche energy markets, such as remote mines and communities, allowing for a much broader deployment than present, including implementation at oil sands mines and upgraders (Natural Resources Canada, 2021).
WHAT IS AN SMNR? SMNRs are essentially small versions of traditional nuclear facilities, physically requiring a smaller footprint and typically with a capacity no larger than 300 MWe per module (International Atomic Energy Agency, 2020). The modular nature of SMNRs means that components can be mass produced in factories and shipped to site for final assembly and installation, providing faster, cheaper, higher quality and more reliable construction than conventional nuclear facilities (International Atomic Energy Agency, 2020) (NuScale Power, 2021) (Natural Resources Canada, 2021).
Figure 1: Plot Plan of a NuScale SMNR Facility
The small size of each SMNR module allows for energy production to be tailored to the requirements of any given application – whether in single or multiple module configuration, SMNR plants can be scaled (to varying degrees) to meet energy needs and optimize operating costs, and in certain cases modules can be added incrementally to grow with demand (NuScale Power, 2021) (International Atomic Energy Agency, 2021) (Office of Nuclear Energy, 2021).
“SMNR plants can be scaled... to meet energy needs and optimize operating costs.” Canada’s SMNR Action Plan envisions the key markets for SMNRs being on-grid power, heavy industry, and power for remote communities (Natural Resources Canada, 2021). Other potential SMNR applications include process heat, power for water desalination and hydrogen production, and powering remote jobsites such as oil refineries and mines (World Nuclear News, 2019).
