Premier Scott Moe goes big on nuclear with plans to explore 2 large nuclear reactors in northwest Sask.

Premier Scott Moe announces new details of Sask.'s nuclear power plan

Saskatchewan is going big on nuclear, announcing plans to explore building two large nuclear reactors in the province's northwest, with a goal of having the first online by 2042.

The Government of Saskatchewan also confirmed it has narrowed down the location of further study for its construction of small modular reactors (SMRs) to the Rafferty site near Estevan.

Premier Scott Moe said the province's new Delivering Energy Security Through Nuclear Power plan establishes an initial target of 2,600 megawatts (MW) of nuclear power generation by 2050.

"With our world-class uranium resources, skilled workforce and growing nuclear expertise, Saskatchewan has everything we need to be a global leader in nuclear energy," Moe said.

"This ambitious plan turns that potential into action — strengthening our energy security, attracting investment, and building a strong nuclear future right here at home.”

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“This plan gives SaskPower a clear path to meet growing demand and support the investment and industries that keep our province strong," Harrison said.

The 2,600 MW goal for nuclear power generation is a massive expansion of the province's nuclear plans, which had previously been restricted to SMR development and construction.

For context, SaskPower reported that the total power system demand at 10:30 a.m. CST on Tuesday was 2,829 MW. The record for most power use in the province was 3,910 MW on Dec. 30, 2021.

The SMR technology selected by Saskatchewan, the Hitachi BWRX-300, produces approximately 300 MW from a single unit.

Although SaskPower has previously said it wanted to pursue large nuclear technology, Tuesday's announcement is the first time the government has provided firm details.

The province did not confirm where the two large nuclear reactors would be constructed on Tuesday, but Moe has previously alluded to potential locations along the North Saskatchewan River.

SaskPower said it will evaluate potential locations while having "meaningful engagement with local communities and Indigenous peoples."

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The provincial government did not explicitly say what type of nuclear reactor it would use for the large scale reactors, but Westinghouse's CEO is included in the news release and references Westinghouse and Cameco's AP1000 Gen III+ reactor.

Some of those large scale reactors are already up and running in China and the U.S., with each reactor producing approximately 1,100 MW.

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SaskPower also confirmed it has further narrowed down the locations for SMR deployment in southeast Saskatchewan.

The Crown corporation has previously indicated it was down to two possibilities: a site on the Boundary Dam Resevoir in the Rural Municipality of Estevan, and a location on the Rafferty Resevoir in the rural municipality of Cambria.

SaskPower confirmed Tuesday that it has selected the Rafferty site for "further study."

SaskPower says Estevan remain a key part of nuclear power plans, with the the goal of delivering at least 600 MW of nuclear power, or two Hitachi BWRX-300 units.

A final site decision is expected sometime this year, according to a SaskPower project schedule.

The first SMR is scheduled to be operational by the mid-2030s according to the same document.

Alexander Quon is the provincial affairs reporter for CBC Saskatchewan. He has been a reporter with CBC Saskatchewan since 2021 and is happy to be working in his hometown of Regina after half a decade in Atlantic Canada. He has previously worked with the CBC News investigative unit in Nova Scotia and Global News in Halifax. Alexander specializes in freedom of information requests and data reporting. He can be reached at: alexander.quon@cbc.ca.