CNA2020 Pre-conference Seminar Focuses on SMR Progress in New Brunswick

In 2018, New Brunswick Energy Solutions Corporation, a provincial Crown corporation, committed $10 million toward establishing an SMR research cluster in New Brunswick. Advanced Reactor Concepts (ARC) Nuclear and Moltex Energy also invested $5 million each to advance research and development of their technologies. The two companies are working with the University of New Brunswick (UNB) to establish curriculum as well as plans for research and development at UNB and the Centre for Nuclear Energy Research. Both vendors are active in the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s (CNSC) vendor design review process and one partner has successfully completed Phase 1.

Utility Plan for SMR Development and Deployment

Ontario Power Generation Vice-President of Nuclear Regulatory Affairs and Stakeholder Relations and Regulatory Readiness Working Group Co-Chair Robin Manley will kick off the seminar. He will describe the pan-Canadian approach and how the work in New Brunswick fits within this approach. To move to commercial demonstration, ARC and Moltex would need to have each of their technologies successfully complete Phase 2 of the CNSC vendor design review, and their financial and project planning predictions would need to continue to show promise. If these conditions are met, then NB Power envisions commercial demonstrations of both reactor types at the Point Lepreau site with an in-service date of about 2030.

Manley’s presentation will be followed by four panel presentations.

Vision for New Brunswick

Chair: Assistant Deputy Minister Energy and Mines, New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development, Bill Breckinridge

Panelists:

• NB Power Senior Strategic Officer Paul Thompson
• ARC Nuclear Canada President and CEO Norman Sawyer
• Moltex Energy Chief Executive, North American Rory O’Sullivan,

Economic Development and Supply Chain

Chair: Atlantica Centre for Energy President Colleen D’Entremont

Panelists:

• NB Power Senior Strategic Advisor, SMR Project Planning Wayne Woodworth
• ARC Nuclear Canada President and CEO Norman Sawyer
• Moltex Energy Chief Executive, North American Rory O’Sullivan
• Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries President and CEO Ron Oberth
• Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, Divisional Vice President Ron Marcolin

Importance of Engagement

Chair: CANDU Owners Group Director, Nuclear Safety and Environmental Affairs Program Rachna Clavero

Panelists:

• Atlantica Centre for Energy President Colleen D’Entremont
• NB Power Senior Strategic Advisor, Advanced Reactor Technology Team, Claire Harris
• NB Power Manager of Community Affairs and Nuclear Regulatory Protocol Kathleen Duguay

R&D and Educational Capacity Building

Chair: NB Power Senior Strategic Advisor, Small Modular Reactors Dean Taylor

Panelists:

• ARC Nuclear Canada President and CEO Norman Sawyer
• Moltex Energy Vice-President of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, North American, Kun Chen
• UNB Chemical Engineering Professor William Cook
• Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Director of the Energy Program Gina Strati
• University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering President Jerry Hopwood

With so much to cover, the SMR pre-conference seminar will run from 13:00 to 17:00 on February 26.

Registration

Registration is required for all pre-conference seminars and is not included in regular conference registration. Please see the registration terms and conditions at https://cna.ca/register for more information and to register.