Canada, Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation One Step Closer to Constructing World’s First Micro Modular Reactor with Signing of Project Host Agreement
SEATTLE – November 20, 2020 – Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) continues to make progress towards deployment of its first micro modular reactor (MMRTM) with the signing of the Project Host Agreement for the company’s initial deployment site in Canada. Global First Power (GFP) Ltd., the joint venture between Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Seattle-based Ultra Safe Nuclear, has signed a Project Host Agreement with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) in support of the MMR Project at Chalk River, a site owned by Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) and managed by CNL. The project is on track to be the first micro reactor deployment in the world.
• The Project Host Agreement establishes the framework under which GFP and CNL will work co-operatively with respect to licensing, design, siting, and other matters to advance the project.
• Signing of the agreement enables GFP and CNL to initiate development of a land-use agreement at Chalk River.
• With the Host Agreement step completed, GFP has cemented its status as the leading and closest-to-deployment, advanced reactor project in North America.
The 15 megawatt (MW) thermal (5 MW electrical) MMR power plant at Chalk River will serve as a model for future commercial MMR installations, supporting remote off-grid customers with clean carbon-free energy, and support Canada’s climate change goals.
"The Chalk River project remains on track for completion by 2026 and will demonstrate the superior design of our reactor and our fuel, as well as validate our business model,” stated Mark Mitchell, senior vice-president of commercial reactors for USNC. “Our partners in Canada are showing real leadership in pursuing an innovative vision for addressing climate change."
"Our MMR is an extremely flexible instrument that can be applied to a wide variety of configurations, and we continue to be encouraged by the steady progress we’re making at the Chalk River Laboratories site," said Francesco Venneri, CEO of Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation. “The momentum we’re achieving at Chalk River and with other strategic opportunities has enabled us to grow our staff to more than 100 people, develop great technology that’s ready for implementation, and implement an aggressive plan to establish our North American manufacturing eco-system.”
About the MMRTM Energy System
The MMR Energy System is a zero-carbon nuclear power plant, integrating one or several standardized micro reactors (MMRs) with a heat storage unit and the adjacent plant for power conversion and utilization. Electrical power or process heat (or a mix of both) is produced in the Energy System, depending on configuration. Nuclear heat is transferred from the micro reactors to a molten salt energy storage unit that decouples the nuclear system from the power utilization system, greatly simplifying operations and allowing flexible use of the energy generated. The Energy System can be used to provide carbon-free, high-quality process heat for co-located industrial applications, and for high-efficiency hydrogen production.
About Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation
Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) is the Seattle-based global leader in the deployment of micro reactors, and a strong vertical integrator of nuclear power technologies, entirely committed to bringing safe, commercially competitive, clean and reliable nuclear energy to markets throughout the world. The company adheres to strict inherent and intrinsic safety principles through technological innovation in fuels, materials and design: USNC is Reliable Energy. Anywhere.