Nov 4, 2024
On November 28, 2024, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) will hold a virtual public meeting. The forum will provide an opportunity to learn about the organization’s achievements of the past year and its plans.
Jim Burpee, Chair of the AECL Board of Directors, and Fred Dermarkar, President and CEO, will present at this meeting and will be available to answer questions from the public.
The meeting will take place via live webcast live on AECL’s website.
Date and time:
November 28, 2024
7:00pm – 8:30pm EST
Registration is available here: https://live.webcastcanada.ca/go/241128apme
Members of the public who will join the meeting via the webcast are invited to provide questions in advance of the meeting via email at [email protected]. This mailbox will also be monitored for any questions received during the meeting. Best efforts will be made to answer questions received via email during the meeting within the allocated time; unanswered questions will be responded to in writing directly to requestors following the meeting.
For more information, please contact:
[email protected]
1-888-220-2465
Chalk River | May 13, 2024
Chalk River, ON – May 13, 2024 –Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), and AtkinsRéalis are pleased to announce that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore opportunities to collaborate on heavy water production. The agreement comes amidst renewed interest in domestic nuclear energy production in Canada, including the potential deployment of large-scale nuclear power reactors in Ontario, which may require significant volumes of heavy water to operate, depending on the design selected.
As the owner and operator of Canada’s national nuclear laboratories, AECL and CNL collectively maintain the necessary expertise, technology, facilities and intellectual property (IP) necessary for the production, management and upgrading of heavy water, a form of water that is used as a moderator and coolant in Canada’s current fleet of CANDU® reactors. These capabilities complement those at AtkinsRéalis, an international leader in the nuclear industry and steward of CANDU technology that has introduced a next-generation CANDU reactor. Known as the CANDU® MONARKTM, the 1,000 MW nuclear reactor would require the use of heavy water in its operation, like other CANDU reactors, and represents the only large-scale reactor developed domestically in Canada.
“Alongside our client, AECL, CNL is thrilled to enter into this MOU with AtkinsRéalis, an agreement that leverages our extensive expertise and resources in heavy water production, and which acts as a meaningful step forward in the deployment of home-grown, large-scale nuclear power here in Canada,” commented Jack Craig, CNL’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “As operator of AECL’s Chalk River Laboratories, which is the birthplace of the CANDU reactor, CNL is well-versed in this technology, and we play a significant role in ensuring its safe and reliable operation around the world. The CANDU reactor design is a proven technology and CNL will continue to support the technology now and into the future, which includes establishing the necessary heavy water inventory and production capabilities.”
“I am pleased that AECL, CNL and AtkinsRéalis are collaborating and working together to advance heavy water production for CANDU reactor technology. CANDU technology is uniquely positioned to contribute to important national objectives such as decarbonization, energy security, economic growth and maintaining Canada’s Tier-1 nuclear nation status,” said Fred Dermarkar, President & Chief Executive Officer of AECL.
“CANDU technology, as Canada’s only domestically developed large scale nuclear technology, is a source of national pride,” said Joe St. Julian, President, Nuclear, AtkinsRéalis. “We are honoured to continue stewarding and enhancing its reputation as a leading global nuclear technology. A reliable supply of heavy water will also safeguard the supply of the global isotope market with cancer-fighting nuclear medicine, as CANDU reactors— with Ontario’s supplying 50% of the world’s supply of Cobalt 60 — are the only commercial scale reactors that can produce such medical isotopes while also producing power at the same time.”
According to terms of the MOU, the organizations will explore opportunities to work together, along with additional strategic partners whose expertise could accelerate technologies, to either produce or upgrade heavy water that could be used in the commissioning and operation of new CANDU reactors in Canada. All three organizations recognize that the construction of CANDU reactor new builds would require significant volumes of heavy water, a need that would require the construction of new facilities in Canada. They also have a shared interest in advancing this technology towards deployment that goes beyond commercial opportunities, recognizing that it contributes to important national policy objectives in Canada, including decarbonisation, energy security, economic growth and maintaining Canada’s position as a leading nuclear nation. In addition to the current collaboration, AECL and CNL intend to play a leadership role in additional initiatives to support the success of this nascent industry in Canada.
“As the owner of CANDU intellectual property licensed to Candu Energy Inc. and owner of Canada’s national nuclear laboratory at Chalk River, Ontario, managed and operated by CNL, AECL is committed to seeing its CANDU technology and the unique capability of its national laboratory leveraged for the benefit of Canadians,” commented Grant Gardiner, EVP, Business Strategy & Development. “We believe establishing a secure, domestic and economically viable supply of heavy water is vital to the continuing success of CANDU technology and are proud of the unique capability that our national laboratory brings to this effort.”
Heavy water is a form of water in which the normal hydrogen is replaced by a heavier form of hydrogen called deuterium. In the case of CANDU® reactors, heavy water has two applications – first, it is used as a moderator to slow the speed of neutrons during the fission process, which allows operators to regulate the reactor’s power output. It is also used as a coolant, circulating throughout the reactor core to cool it down and keep it to the desired temperature. Leveraging AECL’s facilities and IP, CNL is a world leader in the production, management and upgrading of heavy water.
“The deployment of large-scale nuclear power in Canada is an enormous undertaking, and will require extensive alignment and coordination between organizations, industries, public officials and regulators from across the country,” added Jack Craig. “Heavy water is one key piece of the larger puzzle, and AECL and CNL are working together to play a leadership role in this process, ensuring that the broader industry is working towards a shared vision, and that the necessary inventory and production capabilities are in place to supply these reactors. CNL looks forward to leveraging our world-leading expertise, experience and CNL-managed, AECL-owned IP in heavy water production and upgrading to support the deployment of new CANDU reactors in Canada with AtkinsRéalis. By doing so, we will strive to make Canada the leader in the global heavy water market.”
For more information on AECL, please visit www.aecl.ca. If you’d like to learn more about CNL, including its work related to heavy water production and management, please visit www.cnl.ca. For additional details on AtkinsRéalis and the CANDU® MONARKTM, visit www.atkinsrealis.com/monark.
About Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) is a federal Crown corporation with a mandate to drive nuclear opportunities for Canada. Working through a government-owned / contractor-operated (GoCo) model that is executed by its contractor, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, AECL enables nuclear science and technology through its Chalk River Laboratories, Canada’s largest research complex, and by engaging with academia and private industry to advance nuclear innovation. It is committed to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. It also manages the Government of Canada’s radioactive waste responsibilities. AECL continues to own the intellectual property for the CANDU® reactor technology and is accountable for deriving optimal benefit from this technology for Canada. Read more on AECL at www.aecl.ca.
About CNL
As Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology laboratory and working under the direction of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), CNL is a world leader in the development of innovative nuclear science and technology products and services. Guided by an ambitious corporate strategy known as Vision 2030, CNL fulfills three strategic priorities of national importance – restoring and protecting the environment, advancing clean energy technologies, and contributing to the health of Canadians.
By leveraging the assets owned by AECL, CNL also serves as the nexus between government, the nuclear industry, the broader private sector and the academic community. CNL works in collaboration with these sectors to advance innovative Canadian products and services towards real-world use, including carbon-free energy, cancer treatments and other therapies, non-proliferation technologies and waste management solutions.
To learn more about CNL, please visit www.cnl.ca.
About AtkinsRéalis
Created by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-leading professional services and project management company dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We create sustainable solutions that connect people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and energy systems. We deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital. The breadth and depth of our capabilities are delivered to clients in key strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear, Operations & Maintenance and Capital. News and information are available at www.atkinsrealis.com or on LinkedIn.
Media Contact
Jeremy Latta
Director, Communications and Government Reporting
1-343-303-5345
[email protected].
Feb 22, 2024
Montreal: February 22, 2024 – Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (“AECL”), a federal Crown corporation, and AtkinsRéalis [SNC-Lavalin Group Inc.] (TSX: ATRL), are pleased to announce they have entered into a MOU to collaborate for the purpose of successfully deploying CANDU® reactors in Canada and internationally and to expand their intellectual property licensing agreement (IPLA) given the importance of CANDU® technology’s role in helping Canada reach its net zero objectives.
The collaboration and licensing agreement to follow this MOU will accelerate the development of CANDU reactor technology, including the previously announced CANDU MONARK™ reactor, at a critical time during the energy transition. When the IPLA was initially signed in 2011, transitioning to a low-carbon world was not a consideration; as expanded, the agreement will reflect the changing priorities and the organizations’ belief in the role that CANDU technology will play in decarbonizing Canada and the world.
“I would like to extend my appreciation to AECL for their ongoing collaboration. The MOU underscores our mutual interest in advancing the CANDU technology suite of reactors,” commented Ian L. Edwards, President and Chief Executive Officer, AtkinsRéalis. “We’re committed to continuing the work we’ve undertaken for over a decade— successfully refurbishing, servicing, and developing CANDU technology in Canada and abroad to meet the growing low-carbon energy needs here and abroad—while enabling Canada to maintain its status as a Tier-1 nuclear nation.”
“While not a silver bullet, nuclear energy is part of a suite of non-emitting technologies that are required for the world to make the transition to a net-zero future. Made-in-Canada CANDU technology is a national and strategic asset that has provided reliable, non-emitting power and high-quality jobs to communities across Canada for decades,” said the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. “As the world moves to build a more prosperous and sustainable economy, we must use every tool in the toolbox to achieve our clean growth goals, reduce emissions and mitigate climate change. Canada’s expertise will ensure that we remain a safe and reliable partner for the peaceful use of nuclear energy throughout the global energy transition while also supporting significant economic opportunities for workers.”
“I am pleased that AECL and AtkinsRéalis are collaborating and working together to advance CANDU reactor technology; particularly one that recognizes the tremendous opportunity and need for CANDU to uniquely contribute to important national objectives such as decarbonization, energy security, economic growth and maintaining Canada’s Tier-1 nuclear nation status,” said Fred Dermarkar, President & Chief Executive Officer of AECL. “We believe this path can position CANDU reactor technology, developed in Canada by Canadians, to remain a viable reactor product offering at home and abroad.”
As the vast majority of CANDU components, fuel and services are sourced domestically and more than 85 per cent of a CANDU reactor’s equipment and parts can be supplied by Canadian manufacturers, this offers compounded economic benefits to stakeholders across the country. In fact, as the Original Equipment Manufacturer and proud steward of CANDU technology, AtkinsRéalis partners with a nationwide nuclear supply chain of more than 250 companies that employ 76,000 people and provides CANDU fuel, components, services and tooling.
“We will collaborate with AECL, the Canadian nuclear supply chain partners and our customers to complete the CANDU MONARK design for domestic and international deployment,” said Joe St. Julian, President, Nuclear, AtkinsRéalis. “CANDU technology is the only home-grown Canadian power reactor technology; it competes on a global stage, providing energy security, creating export opportunities and thousands of well-paying, highly skilled jobs, while also supporting the local supply chain and creating economic value to Canada. The deployment of the CANDU MONARK will provide safe, carbon free, base load power to the country and the world.”
About Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) is a federal Crown corporation with a mandate to drive nuclear opportunities for Canada. Working through a government-owned / contractor-operated (GoCo) model that is executed by its contractor, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, AECL enables nuclear science and technology through its Chalk River Laboratories, Canada’s largest research complex, and by engaging with academia and private industry to advance nuclear innovation. It is committed to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. It also manages the Government of Canada’s radioactive waste responsibilities. AECL continues to own the intellectual property for the CANDU® reactor technology and is accountable for deriving optimal benefit from this technology for Canada. Read more on AECL at www.aecl.ca.
About AtkinsRéalis
Created by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-leading professional services and project management company dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We create sustainable solutions that connect people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and energy systems. We deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital. The breadth and depth of our capabilities are delivered to clients in key strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear, Operations & Maintenance and Capital. News and information are available at www.atkinsrealis.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
About AtkinsRéalis’ Nuclear Business
AtkinsRéalis has over 70 years’ of global nuclear expertise, delivering nuclear technology products and full-service solutions to nuclear utilities around the world. AtkinsRéalis is the steward of CANDU® nuclear technology, operating on four continents, and provides advisory and engineering services to other nuclear developers. With an innovative technology portfolio, including access to over 500 patented solutions, AtkinsRéalis solves technically complex challenges across the whole nuclear lifecycle from design and new build through asset management and from life extension and late life management through decommissioning and waste management. AtkinsRéalis operates and manages government nuclear research sites, transforming ageing infrastructure and safely managing legacy nuclear waste. AtkinsRéalis is also involved in developing medical radioisotopes for cancer research through its partnership with TerraPower. Read more on our Nuclear market page.
For more information:
Media
Jeremy Latta
Director, Communications and Government Reporting
[email protected]
