NuScale and Ontario Power Generation Sign MOU to Support SMR Expansion to Canadian Market
NuScale Power announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG), Ontario’s public electricity generator, who has agreed to support NuScale in its vendor design review (VDR) with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), bringing NuScale closer to introducing its ground-breaking small modular reactor (SMR) technology to Canadian customers.
“We see this agreement with OPG as an important milestone in NuScale’s efforts to bring our scalable, economic, carbon-free, and safe reactor to Canada,” said NuScale Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John Hopkins. “We are extremely fortunate to have OPG’s valuable nuclear regulatory and utility expertise, and we know that they will be an incredibly helpful partner in our efforts to ensure that our new and innovative technology meets Canadian regulatory requirements and customer needs.”
NuScale is currently working on a service agreement to submit a VDR application with the CNSC. The goal of the VDR is to ensure the nuclear power plant design meets Canadian nuclear regulatory requirements and expectations, as well as Canadian codes and standards. After the service agreement is signed, NuScale and the CNSC will develop a project execution plan for the content and timing of the subsequent submittals. NuScale’s technology is already the world’s first and only SMR to undergo design certification application review by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Through the new agreement, OPG will offer expertise to support not only NuScale’s Vendor Design Review application currently under development with the CNSC, but also the further evaluation of development, licensing, and deployment of the first NuScale power plant in Canada.
“We’re proud to support NuScale’s efforts to enter the Canadian market,” said Jeff Lehman, OPG’s Vice President of New Nuclear Development. “From our work on the NuScale Advisory Board, we know that the company’s small modular reactor technology holds strong potential for Canadian electricity users. In support of Canada’s climate change goals, we look forward to supporting NuScale as they move through the Canadian regulatory process.”
NuScale’s innovative and unique SMR design has strong safety and unparalleled reliability features, is factory-made, and offers scalable power based on need – an unprecedented capability in the nuclear energy industry. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is scheduled to complete NuScale’s Design Certification application in September 2020. NuScale’s first customer, Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems, is on track to deploy the U.S.’s first SMR plant in the mid-2020s.