Notice of Commencement of an Environmental Assessment

Micro Modular Reactor at Chalk River

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has received a project description from Global First Power for the Micro Modular Reactor Project at Chalk River. The proposed project involves the site preparation, construction, operation, and decommissioning of a single small modular reactor, using Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) technology. The proposed project is located at the Chalk River Laboratories site, in Renfrew County, Ontario, approximately 200 km northwest of Ottawa.

The proposed project includes a nuclear plant, which would contain a MMR High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor that would provide process heat to an adjacent plant, via molten salt. The MMR would produce approximately 15 Megawatt (thermal) of process heat to generate electrical power and/or heat, over an operating life-span of 20 years.

The CNSC has determined that the proposed project requires a federal environmental assessment (EA) pursuant to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012). An EA under CEAA 2012 is a planning and decision-making tool. Its objectives are to minimize or avoid adverse environmental effects before they occur, incorporate environmental factors into decision making, and identify the elements of a follow-up monitoring program. 

The availability of participant funding for this project will be announced at a later date.

For further information on this EA, please contact:
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
P.O. Box 1046 Station B
280 Slater Street
Ottawa ON  K1P 5S9
Telephone: 1-800-668-5284
Fax: 613-995-5086
Email: cnsc.ea-ee.ccsn@canada.ca