Planning for Nuclear Power

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We need all options on the table to help us reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions in how we generate power, as soon as possible. Nuclear power from Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) is one of those options.

Watch the video below to learn more about SMRs in Saskatchewan.

While a decision on whether to build a small modular reactor (SMR) in Saskatchewan won’t be made until 2029, planning needs to happen now. The lengthy planning process requires us to select a specific nuclear technology and potential site.

We've selected GE Hitachi’s BWRX-300 SMR design and shortlisted two study areas for evaluation. They include:

  1. Elbow Study Area
  2. Estevan Study Area

Right now, we're in the site selection phase of the project. We have a long list of criteria - some of the key ones are illustrated below.

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Over the next year, our goal is to narrow down options for a potential site based on information we collect through studies and engagement activities with communities, stakeholders and Rightsholders in the study areas.

That’s where you come in. We’ll be sharing information and seeking to learn more about each area. We’re interested in hearing about your values and your environmental, social and economic priorities. Your feedback will help identify reasons that a location is a good fit or a poor fit. It could also identify things that would need to be considered and planned around if a facility were to be built in one of the study areas.

We'll compile the feedback we hear through engagement and use it to inform the site selection process. We also want to know what you’re wondering about and how you’d like to get updates, to help shape our communications and information-sharing.

We need all options on the table to help us reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions in how we generate power, as soon as possible. Nuclear power from Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) is one of those options.

Watch the video below to learn more about SMRs in Saskatchewan.

While a decision on whether to build a small modular reactor (SMR) in Saskatchewan won’t be made until 2029, planning needs to happen now. The lengthy planning process requires us to select a specific nuclear technology and potential site.

We've selected GE Hitachi’s BWRX-300 SMR design and shortlisted two study areas for evaluation. They include:

  1. Elbow Study Area
  2. Estevan Study Area

Right now, we're in the site selection phase of the project. We have a long list of criteria - some of the key ones are illustrated below.

""

Over the next year, our goal is to narrow down options for a potential site based on information we collect through studies and engagement activities with communities, stakeholders and Rightsholders in the study areas.

That’s where you come in. We’ll be sharing information and seeking to learn more about each area. We’re interested in hearing about your values and your environmental, social and economic priorities. Your feedback will help identify reasons that a location is a good fit or a poor fit. It could also identify things that would need to be considered and planned around if a facility were to be built in one of the study areas.

We'll compile the feedback we hear through engagement and use it to inform the site selection process. We also want to know what you’re wondering about and how you’d like to get updates, to help shape our communications and information-sharing.

  • Share Your Priorities

    There are many factors to consider when siting a potential small modular reactor (SMR) facility. In 2022, we identified a region near Estevan and a region near Elbow to further evaluate. Using over 50 regional siting criteria we’ve analyzed which areas within those regions appear suitable for a potential SMR.

    As we narrow in on potential sites — we want to know what factors matter most to you when choosing a site location for a potential SMR:

    Safety and Technical Criteria

    • Environmental Criteria
    • Social and Cultural Criteria
    • Economic Criteria

    Learn more about each siting criteria below.



    Safety and Technical Criteria

    Safety and technical criteria are focused on choosing a site that is closest to emergency services — like a fire hall and/or hospital — and will limit risks to the facility by avoiding areas that are prone to extreme natural events. This includes:

    • fires
    • flooding
    • geological hazards (fault lines or man-made hazards like high-pressure gas pipeline)


    Environmental Criteria

    Environmental criteria are about considering a site that will cause the least amount of impact to sensitive lands and habitats. Protecting the natural environment is important to us and means we’ll:

    • prioritize areas without species at risk
    • maintain a minimum 50-meter buffer from shorelines
    • avoid managed lands (parks, bird sanctuaries, etc.)


    Social and Cultural Criteria

    Social and cultural criteria help us pick a site that will support our integration into the community by:

    • making sure we avoid or minimize impacts on places with cultural or historic significance (cemeteries, burial grounds, etc.) 
    • ensuring we’re close enough to a community so that employees have reasonable commute times and convenient access to services (restaurant, school, day-care, etc.) 
    • leaving enough room for the community to grow


    Economic Criteria

    Economic criteria consider the financial implications of choosing a particular site. This includes factors we’re considering like:

    • the cost of connecting the SMR to the power grid (higher cost if it’s further away from existing transmission lines, and/or if those lines require upgrading/refurbishment)
    • the cost to move cooling water to the SMR (higher cost the farther the SMR is from the water source)
    • distance to an existing highway that could handle the loads required during construction (added cost if we need to build-up road)
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Page last updated: 26 May 2023, 12:13 PM