GE Hitachi Chosen to Build New Nuclear Reactor at Darlington

Prime Minister Doug Ford hopes GE will bring good things to light.

GE Hitachi has been selected to build the first new nuclear reactor in Ontario in decades.

As the Globe and Mail first reported Wednesday night, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) chose the company to build a small modular reactor (SMR) at the Darlington generating station in Clarington.

“With today’s announcement, Ontario is leading the way in new nuclear technologies, such as SMRs, which represent tremendous economic and environmental opportunities for our province and all of Canada,” Energy Minister Todd Smith said Thursday.

“SMRs can provide reliable, emission-free energy while creating jobs, economic growth and export opportunities,” Smith said, adding that it is an opportunity to “show the Ontario nuclear expertise to the world.”

The project, which sources say will cost several billion dollars, would be Canada’s first commercial SMR and should be operational by 2028.

Unlike the existing nuclear reactors in the country, the new reactor would not use the venerable Candu technology.

On 2020, nuclear power accounted for 56.8% of Ontario’s electricity generation, compared to 24.4% from water (hydro), 8.7% from wind, 6.4% from natural gas and 2.4% solar energy.

While nuclear waste disposal has always been a challenge, an SMR can prevent up to two megatons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.

OPG, a Crown utility company, said the project would create 700 jobs during development, 1,600 during construction and manufacturing, 200 during operations and 160 when finally decommissioned after about 60 years.

“Nuclear power is a key zero-emission baseload power source that will help us achieve net zero as a business by 2040 and act as a catalyst for efficient decarbonization across the economy by 2050,” said Ken Hartwick, President and CEO. CEO of OPG.

GE Hitachi President Jay Wileman said “this is a significant and concrete action in the fight against climate change that will also create jobs in Ontario and Canada as we take advantage of the strong and growing nuclear supply chain.”

The federal government and Ford’s progressive conservative administration in Queen’s Park have been working with other provinces to push SMRs.

But environmental groups like Greenpeace oppose its construction, warning that it will end up being more expensive than wind or solar power, which is cleaner and safer.

Robert Benzie is the bureau chief for Star’s Queen’s Park and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie