OPG, TVA highlight nuclear partnership

The leaders of Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) this week met at the Darlington Nuclear site in Ontario to discuss the companies’ actions to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) in Canada and the U.S.

OPG, TVA highlight nuclear partnership
(Source: Ken Hartwick Linkedin.)

The leaders of Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) this week met at the Darlington Nuclear site in Ontario to discuss the companies’ actions to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) in Canada and the U.S.

Earlier in 2022 the two companies agreed to work together to mitigate the financial risk that comes with development of advanced nuclear technology, as well as future deployment costs.

“Canada and the U.S. have a rich history of partnership for the greater good,” said TVA President and CEO Jeff Lyash. “Today, we have an opportunity to build on that partnership and make nuclear energy an impactful contributor to a carbon-free energy future for all of North America.”

OPG is deploying an SMR at the Darlington site, the only location in Canada licensed for new nuclear construction with an approved Environmental Assessment. OPG recently announced a contract with ES Fox to proceed with early site work, including water, electrical power, information technology, and roads. The work is expected to begin when necessary permits and regulatory approvals are in place.

OPG announced plans late last year to collaborate with GE Hitachi on SMR engineering, design, planning, preparing the licensing and permitting materials and performing site preparation activities.

OPG also announced plans to work with X-energy to possibly deploy the latter’s Xe-100 SMRs to decarbonize heavy industry applications in Canada.

TVA currently holds the U.S.’s only Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) early site permit for SMR deployment at its Clinch River Nuclear site near Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

TVA entered into an agreement to potentially deploy GE-Hitachi’s BWRX-300 SMR at Clinch River.