{"id":30310,"date":"2021-02-25T12:31:45","date_gmt":"2021-02-25T17:31:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cna.ca\/?p=30310"},"modified":"2021-09-02T13:07:47","modified_gmt":"2021-09-02T17:07:47","slug":"nuclear-power-part-of-canadas-energy-transition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cna.ca\/fr\/2021\/02\/25\/nuclear-power-part-of-canadas-energy-transition\/","title":{"rendered":"Nuclear Power: Part of Canada\u2019s Energy Transition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to a series of guest blogs by some of Canada\u2019s top nuclear experts.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the next few weeks, Talk Nuclear will host blogs by the speakers of Nuclear Power: Part of Canada\u2019s Energy Transition<\/strong>, a webinar hosted by Global Public Affairs. We\u2019ll hear a range of insights and perspectives on the potential of nuclear energy and small modular reactors (SMRs) in Canada. Join us weekly as we explore nuclear\u2019s role in achieving an energy future that is reliable, affordable and clean.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To introduce this series is a guest blog from Ted Gruetzner, Vice-President, Energy, Environment and Resources, Global Public Affairs.<\/em> Read the next post in the series here<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BY TED GRUETZNER<\/strong><\/em> | I\u2019ve noticed a hopeful and growing trend in Canada\u2019s energy industry; we\u2019re finally looking at our energy future as a cooperative effort free of the binary \u201cit has to be this or that\u201d conversations that blocked progress in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I say this as someone who spent most of his career working in the nuclear and hydroelectric worlds. Then, following a career move two years ago, I found myself primarily working with oil and gas clients. Even then, the industry was full of solitudes. There was no real effort to look at how the various sectors could help each other. But I could tell there was a curiosity in what nuclear technology was up to and how it could fit into Western Canada\u2019s energy future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was with that in mind that bringing my two energy worlds together became a mission for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This mission got a boost with Alberta\u2019s signing of a memorandum of understanding with Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick to support the development of small modular reactors (SMRs). This sparked interest in how nuclear technology will play a role in Canada\u2019s energy transition and how it could help Western Canada increase electrification and decarbonization.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In late 2020, I convened a webinar panel of nuclear industry experts to outline the potential for nuclear power, the regulatory process, the practical applications in the oil and mining sector, the supply chain, and how the industry was working to manage spent fuel and other nuclear by-products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event attracted one of the largest and most engaged audiences of Global Public Affairs\u2019 webinar series and hosted a panel that included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n