Planning for Nuclear Power

Thanks for the question. We know that wind, solar, and hydro can play an important role in providing power to our grid.  That’s why about 35% of our current generating capacity (2,075MW) is from these renewable sources.  We are investing in several projects to extend the life of our existing hydro facilities and to bring new wind and solar facilities online. Here’s a quick overview: 

The potential addition of nuclear power presents an exciting opportunity for our people and our economy. Of course, we know that every energy sources comes with trade-offs. We’re committed to managing nuclear waste responsibly and making decisions about land, water and community with transparency and respect.  

Canada's nuclear industry boasts a world-class safety record, built on over 70 years of innovation and regulatory excellence.  We expect nuclear power generation to play a key role in providing safe, reliable power to our customers in the future.  

In Canada, used nuclear fuel—also known as spent fuel—is a necessary byproduct of generating nuclear energy and must be carefully managed to protect people and the environment. Canada has a long-standing record of safely storing spent fuel, and every licensed nuclear activity must include a full lifecycle waste management plan. 

A lot of the uranium used to generate nuclear power is mined in northern Saskatchewan, home to some of the richest uranium deposits in the world. After mining and processing, it is transported under strict regulatory controls to licensed facilities for fuel fabrication. 

Once used in a reactor, the spent fuel is first securely stored on-site. Over the reactor’s 60-year lifespan, the total volume of spent fuel is relatively small—enough to fit in a double car garage. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has the responsibility and mandate to permanently store all of Canada’s used fuel. The NWMO is developing a Deep Geological Repository (DGR) for used nuclear fuel. Learn more about the DGR project here. 

The CNSC regulates the productions, possession, use and transportation of nuclear substances in Canada. More information about the CNSC and their role in protecting the health, safety, security and environment is available on their website. 

Hello, and thank you for your question. At this-point, you cannot directly invest in SaskPower’s small modular reactor (SMR) project, as it is not a private or publicly traded initiative. 

Affordability and reliability are top priorities for SaskPower as we explore small modular reactors (SMRs) to support Saskatchewan’s growing energy needs. The reactor technology we selected (BWRX-300) is a tenth generation (X) Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) with a 300 Mwe output. This innovative SMR is based on similar large scale nuclear power plants that have been in operation globally for decades. The first BWRX-300 will be built in Canada by Ontario Power Generation (OPG).  

While nuclear projects involve significant upfront costs, spreading those costs over the lifespan of the facilities make SMRs a cost-effective and stable energy source. The BWRX-300 has a design life of 60-years, which is longer than your typical natural gas and coal power plants.  

SaskPower is closely following OPG’s SMR project to identify ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs. OPG has recently announced a $20.9 billion budget for their Darling New Nuclear Project, which will see four BWRX facilities built on that site. Their first unit is expected cost a total of $7.7 billion which includes some common costs for infrastructure that will support the following three units. Based on OPG’s numbers, their later units are estimated to come in under $5 billion. We deliberately chose not to be the first to build an SMR so that we could benefit from learnings and identify ways to lower costs on our own project. Cost is and will continue to be a primary consideration when we make our final investment decision whether to proceed with building an SMR. 

The SMR will use surface water for cooling which is similar to existing coal and nuclear plants. Depending on the cooling technology and the waterbody used, water consumption can be kept low. SaskPower will work with our regulators, including the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to ensure sustainable water use, including long-term effects such as climate change are considered as we further evaluate the suitability of our waterbodies for potential SMR operation. 

Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) small modular reactor (SMR) project at Darlington continues to make steady progress. In April 2025, OPG was issued a licence to construct on their first unit and construction began in May 2025. Learn more about their Darling New Nuclear Project here. We will continue to work with OPG to apply lessons learned to our SMR project in Saskatchewan. 

The Government of Saskatchewan has asked SaskPower to assess the possibility of continuing to run our coal facilities beyond 2030. This includes units that have some remaining life, as well as potentially refurbishing units to extend their useful life. The analysis is still in progress and will help  inform future decisions. SaskPower is committed to achieving a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions power system by 2050 or earlier. We expect nuclear power generation to play a major role in providing safe, reliable power to our customers in the future.  

Current access is fairly reliable for our first SMR builds. While costs have increased, the market is currently able to provide the fuel SaskPower needs for its first units. OPG has fuel contracts in place for their reactor. We will explore fuel supply options as we progress through the planning phase of the project. 

Combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) and simple cycle gas turbine plants remain a practical and proven option, offering lower upfront costs and fast deployment. With the recent additions of Chinook Power Station (2019) and Great Plains Power Station (2024) natural gas accounts for approximately 41% (2,434 MW) of our generating capacity and growing. The Aspen Power Station will bring an additional 370 MW of generating capacity when complete in 2027. As technology evolves, SaskPower is committed to choosing the solutions that best serve Saskatchewan’s long-term power needs.