Canada’s nuclear leaders gather to celebrate construction
of the Advanced Nuclear Materials Research Centre (ANMRC)
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) officially broke ground on the new Advanced Nuclear Materials Research Centre (ANMRC) at the Chalk River Laboratories. AECL President & CEO, Fred Dermarkar, and CNL President & CEO, Joe McBrearty, were joined by local officials and representatives of Canada’s nuclear supply chain to celebrate construction of the new facility.
The ANMRC will be one of the largest nuclear research facilities in Canada. It will house 23 laboratories, accommodate 160 employees and consolidate key capabilities from aging facilities scheduled for decommissioning at the site. The structure is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2028.
The ANMRC will support Canada’s clean energy goals by providing services critical to the life extension and long-term reliability of existing reactors, including Canada’s fleet of CANDU® reactors and other designs from around the world. The facility will feature 12 new shielded hot cells that will enable post-irradiation examination of small modular reactors (SMR) and next-generation nuclear fuels in addition to glovebox facilities to support the development of advanced fuel fabrication concepts.
The ANMRC is a key component of the revitalization of Chalk River Laboratories, a $1.2B investment by the Government of Canada.
Fred Dermarkar, President & CEO, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
“ANMRC is central to AECL’s vision to drive nuclear innovation. It will be a modern, efficient, world-class nuclear lab to serve the needs of the Government of Canada and the Canadian nuclear industry – not only for today, but for decades into the future.”
Joe McBrearty, President & CEO, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
“The investments that the Government of Canada has made to revitalize Chalk River Laboratories give us the facilities and infrastructure needed to confront some of the nation’s most pressing issues, from climate change to energy security. The ANMRC is at the centre of this vision.”
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources
“To fight climate change and lower emissions, we must look to all non-emitting sources of energy, which very much needs to include nuclear energy. The Advanced Nuclear Materials Research Centre (ANMRC) is an important step forward in Canada’s long history as a peaceful user of nuclear power. The work undertaken here will help guide a new generation of nuclear technologies and ensure that our nuclear sector remains a reliable, safe, cost-effective and innovative source of energy and opportunity.”