Small Modular Reactor Services Overview

A group of engineers discussing a design that is on the whiteboard

The world is looking to the nuclear industry to develop improved reactor designs that will help produce the sustainable power needed to achieve net-zero ambitions. With the development of many advanced reactor concepts, it's safe to say that the nuclear industry is up to the challenge.

Some of these reactors may use novel fuels and coolants, as well as require different safety profiles and environmental footprints in comparison to existing nuclear technologies. These advanced concepts are the basis for the new small modular reactors (SMRs) that are being considered for deployment in smaller jurisdictions and other previously untapped markets. Advanced reactors include fast reactors capable of consuming existing fuels that may be cooled with metals or molten salts, reactors with molten fuels, and gas-cooled reactors. Some advanced reactors will operate on reprocessed fuel and many will have higher output temperatures that provide opportunities for heat storage, provision of industrial heat, desalination, and hydrogen production.

At their core, all these devices are nuclear fission machines and utilize the same basic principles that we have been using to design and license conventional nuclear technology.

Our track record in the conventional nuclear industry enables us to provide the combination of expertise, experience, infrastructure, and support facilities that enable the realistic design and testing of these new concepts.

In addition, we have experience with a diverse range of SMR and advanced reactor technologies and our team has supported major technology developers that are proposing designs for the Canadian market or who have undertaken a Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) pre-licensing review. We also have been proactively uprating our test facilities to enable work on these new technologies.

Why Us?

  • Effective Teams

    With experts in all aspects of reactor technology including materials, fuels, neutronics, heat transfer and fluid flow, and safety and licensing we are able to create effective teams of subject matter experts who work together to deliver solutions.

  • Local Commitment

    We understand the importance of having a local presence, especially in regions contemplating acquiring their first reactor. Our team will work with you to establish the support that you need in your region.

  • One Stop Shop

    Our comprehensive nuclear capabilities will help you select, build, inspect, maintain, and operate your plant. On top of that, we perform environmental assessments, qualifications, and tests. Whatever your issue is, we can help.

  • Studies, Advice, R&D and Licensing Support

    We can help in whatever way you need undertaking technical, economic, and demand studies, advising on materials and designs or helping you obtain a license before the project proceeds and helping you build and operate when it does.

  • Planning for the Complete Lifecycle

    Before a reactor is deployed, its full lifecycle must be understood from its design, through its construction and operation, to its decommissioning. We have experience with all aspects of a deployment and we use it to ensure that new designs are practical and licensable.

  • Commitment to the Future

    The research infrastructure that supports conventional nuclear will not support some of the advanced reactor designs with their higher temperatures and harsher chemical environments. We are investing in uprated capabilities to ensure we can meet the new demands.