Moltex Offers A Glimpse Of New Brunswick’s Nuclear Future
SAINT JOHN — Moltex held a series of open houses last week, giving New Brunswickers another glimpse of the small modular reactor (SMR) technology the company is pioneering right here in the Saint John region.
The open houses were in various locations not far from the Point Lepreau nuclear power station, which will provide the spent fuel that will be used in Moltex’s revolutionary reactors.
New Brunswick is positioned to take advantage of the emerging technology that will not only find a use for nuclear waste, but will ensure a secure source of fuel for the SMRs right here in the province.
“We can create $300 billion of electricity energy value from that waste,” says Moltex CEO Rory O’Sullivan. “In terms of energy security, given the changing market volatility, everything we need is already sitting on site.”
Spent fuel solution
“Our market is a little bit different to the other SMRs, which might be looking at remote communities or developing nations,” he continues. “We’re really focused on countries that have waste so that we can deal with the waste issue for the sector.”
“That can make nuclear generally more sustainable and have it as a more meaningful part of the energy mix.”
That’s the big difference between the Moltex SMRs, which are being built with CANDU creators, engineering firm SNC Lavalin, and the SMR in Southern Ontario which recently received federal funding to use existing SMR technology and not spent fuel.
Due to the bleeding edge nature of the technology, the timelines for this project are very long.
There will be shovels in the ground for the waste facility starting at the end of the 2020s with construction on the SMR itself beginning in the early 2030s.
O’Sullivan says the Moltex SMR is still in the vendor design review phases with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. Phase 1 has been completed, and Phase 2 will begin in late 2023, continuing for several years. Moltex is also navigating the formal licensing process for the SMRs with NB Power, which is another five-to-seven-year process.
“The other big milestone coming up next year is our Watts experiments. Watts is the name of the [spent fuel] recycling process,” says O’Sullivan.
“We will demonstrate [to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission] that we can take spent CANDU fuel and convert it to fuel for our reactors safely, economically, and with the right type of waste outputs. That’ll be very significant to demonstrate that it’s viable and safe.”
The advantages to New Brunswick for being the pioneer in this process will be long lasting.
World-leading expertise
Developing world-renowned expertise in clean, reliable energy will be a big boon for New Brunswick businesses of all kinds. The recent provincial speech from the throne estimated economic impacts of SMR development between now and 2035 to include more than 1000 direct and indirect jobs per year, more than $2 billion in positive impacts to provincial GDP, and almost $200 million in government revenue.
“All of the development is done here. All of the IP [intellectual property] is in Canada. The first deployment will be in New Brunswick,” says O’Sullivan.
“When you’re the first one, all of the capabilities and skills and supply chain is set up here. To deploy, to learn how to manufacture the components…. For example, we’ll be starting with local manufacturers in New Brunswick to make the New Brunswick plant,” he explains. “Then, when the other utilities are building the second, third, fourth, fifth plant, they’ll be looking for a supplier who’s already done it before.”
The Moltex SMR when completed would generate 300 megawatts for 60 years, enough to power 150,000 New Brunswick homes.
Alex Graham is a Huddle reporter in Saint John. Send her your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].