‘Nuclear secretariat’ to plan for small reactors in Sask.
REGINA Saskatchewan’s Environment Ministry is forming a “nuclear secretariat” as the government keeps talking up the prospects for small modular nuclear reactors (SMR) in the province over a 10year horizon.
On Wednesday, the government announced plans to establish a new office within the ministry’s climate change branch to “co-ordinate nuclear policy and program work.” Its primary mandate will be developing and executing a strategic plan to deploy small modular nuclear reactors (SMRS), according to a news release.
Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said Saskpower will still have a key role in decisions about the possible procurement of SMRS. The new secretariat would be responsible for “bigger picture” issues, he explained, such as the economic impact of the technology and regulatory changes needed to address it.
He said it would work across ministries, dealing with workforce and educational requirements for bringing SMRS to Saskatchewan. It would likely bring together about five members, according to Duncan.
He wants to have that finalized this summer, and is expecting the committee to be “active” by the end of the year.
Duncan said Saskatchewan remains bullish on the possibility of using SMR technology to reach its emissions goals. But no final decision has been made on where small modular reactors fit into Saskpower’s future energy mix. He did not appear to view the secretariat as a sign of a deeper commitment to the technology.
“I would say it’s a sign that we need to do our homework. We know we will have to make a decision at some point in the future,” said Duncan.
“We think that this needs to be at least a part of the conversation,” he added.
Duncan said the technology likely wouldn’t be in place until 2030.
But he wants government to be prepared if it does take that road toward the net zero future the federal government is envisioning.
In May 2019, Premier Scott Moe first floated the idea of using small modular nuclear reactors as part of the province’s energy mix. He argued they are safe, reliable and innovative.
Moe then signed a memorandum of understanding with his counterparts in Ontario and New Brunswick that December, where the three premiers promised to work together on nuclear power generation.
The government has emphasized the benefits nuclear reactors could bring to the province’s uranium industry, and to communities transitioning away from coal power, thus preserving jobs.
Given the small scale of Saskatchewan’s power demand in the global market place, Moe has signalled that SMRS would serve more as a positive signal to other, larger jurisdictions, that could benefit uranium producers.
Small modular nuclear reactors generate 300 megawatts of electricity or less per unit. That’s far less than the 600 megawatts or more generated by conventional nuclear power plants.
They are referred to as “modular” because the units can be combined into a larger unit that can produce more electricity. That means they can be scaled up, one at a time, to respond to increasing power demand.
NDP Leader Ryan Meili cast the reactor talk as a distraction on Wednesday.
“It sounds like the minister is going to have some more meetings,” he said. “I wasn’t really struck by a whole lot of impressive or important news there. We know they’re exploring this, now they’re exploring it with a slightly different body.”
He criticized the government for not making quick moves to use renewable technology that is available now, including by changing the net metering program.
As of 2017, Saskatchewan had the highest level of greenhouse gas emissions per capita in Canada, with 67.7 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per person.
That’s 246 per cent above the national average.