Nuclear power in Canada
Encyclopedia
Nuclear power
in Canada produces about 15% of Canada
's electricity as of 2009.
industry) in Canada dates back to 1942 when a joint British-Canadian laboratory, the Montreal Laboratory
, was set up in Montreal
, Quebec
, under the administration of the National Research Council of Canada
, to develop a design for a heavy-water nuclear reactor. This reactor was called National Research Experimental
and would be the most powerful research reactor
in the world when completed. In the meantime, in 1944, approval was given to proceed with the construction of the smaller ZEEP
(Zero Energy Experimental Pile) test reactor at Chalk River
, Ontario
and on September 5, 1945 at 3:45 p.m., the 10 Watt ZEEP successfully achieved the first self-sustained nuclear reaction outside the United States. ZEEP operated for 25 years as a key research facility.
In 1946, the Montreal Laboratory was closed, and the work continued at the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories. Building partly on the experimental data obtained from ZEEP, the National Research Experimental
(NRX)—a natural uranium
, heavy water
moderated research reactor—started up on July 22, 1947. It operated for 43 years, producing radioisotopes, undertaking fuels and materials development work for CANDU reactors, and providing neutron
s for physics experiments. It was eventually joined in 1957 by the larger 200 megawatt (MW) National Research Universal
(NRU) reactor.
In 1952, the Canadian government formed AECL, a Crown corporation with the mandate to develop peaceful uses of nuclear energy. A partnership was formed between AECL, Ontario Hydro
and Canadian General Electric to build Canada's first nuclear power plant, called NPD for Nuclear Power Demonstration
. The 20 MWe NPD started operation in 1962 and successfully demonstrated the unique concepts of on-power refuelling using natural uranium fuel, and heavy water moderator and coolant. These features formed the basis of a fleet of CANDU power reactors (CANDU is an acronym for CANada Deuterium Uranium) built and operated in Canada and elsewhere.
In the late 1960s (1967–1970), Canada also developed an experimental miniature nuclear reactor named SLOWPOKE
(acronym for Safe Low-Power Kritical Experiment). The first prototype was built at Chalk River and many SLOWPOKEs were subsequently built, mainly for research. This reactor design is extremely safe and requires almost no maintenance (it is even licensed to operate unattended overnight); it can run for more than 20 years before the nuclear fuel needs replacement. There was an attempt at commercializing the reactor, as it could be used in remote areas or vehicles (research stations, electric-diesel submarines). Then, China entered the market with its SLOWPOKE-like reactor and thus, the project lost its commercial potential. Many SLOWPOKEs are still in use in Canada; there is one running at École Polytechnique de Montréal
, for instance.
's Advanced CANDU Reactor
. Environmental assessments are currently underway for one site next to Bruce Power
's Bruce Nuclear Generating Station
in Tiverton
and another next to Ontario Power Generation
's Darlington Nuclear Generating Station
. Bruce Power has applied for a license to generate nuclear power at Cardinal Lake
, Alberta
.
, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has "ordered all reactor operators to revisit their safety plans and report on potential improvements" by the end of April.
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
in Canada produces about 15% of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's electricity as of 2009.
History
The nuclear industry (as distinct from the uraniumUranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
industry) in Canada dates back to 1942 when a joint British-Canadian laboratory, the Montreal Laboratory
Montreal Laboratory
The Montreal Laboratory in Montreal, Quebec, Canada was established by the National Research Council of Canada to undertake nuclear research, and to take over some of the scientists and projects from the Tube Alloys nuclear project in Britain...
, was set up in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, under the administration of the National Research Council of Canada
National Research Council of Canada
The National Research Council is an agency of the Government of Canada which conducts scientific research and development.- History :...
, to develop a design for a heavy-water nuclear reactor. This reactor was called National Research Experimental
NRX
NRX was a heavy water moderated, light water cooled, nuclear research reactor at the Canadian Chalk River Laboratories, which came into operation in 1947 at a design power rating of 10 MW , increasing to 42 MW by 1954...
and would be the most powerful research reactor
Research reactor
Research reactors are nuclear reactors that serve primarily as a neutron source. They are also called non-power reactors, in contrast to power reactors that are used for electricity production, heat generation, or maritime propulsion.-Purpose:...
in the world when completed. In the meantime, in 1944, approval was given to proceed with the construction of the smaller ZEEP
ZEEP
The ZEEP reactor was a nuclear reactor built at the Chalk River Laboratories near Chalk River, Ontario, Canada . ZEEP first went critical at 3:45 PM, September 5, 1945...
(Zero Energy Experimental Pile) test reactor at Chalk River
Chalk River
Chalk River is a Canadian rural community part of the Laurentian Hills municipality in Renfrew County, Ontario. It is located in the Upper Ottawa Valley along Highway 17 , 10 km inland from the Ottawa River, approximately 21 km northwest of Petawawa, and 182 km northwest of Ottawa...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and on September 5, 1945 at 3:45 p.m., the 10 Watt ZEEP successfully achieved the first self-sustained nuclear reaction outside the United States. ZEEP operated for 25 years as a key research facility.
In 1946, the Montreal Laboratory was closed, and the work continued at the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories. Building partly on the experimental data obtained from ZEEP, the National Research Experimental
NRX
NRX was a heavy water moderated, light water cooled, nuclear research reactor at the Canadian Chalk River Laboratories, which came into operation in 1947 at a design power rating of 10 MW , increasing to 42 MW by 1954...
(NRX)—a natural uranium
Natural uranium
Natural uranium refers to refined uranium with the same isotopic ratio as found in nature. It contains 0.7 % uranium-235, 99.3 % uranium-238, and a trace of uranium-234 by weight. In terms of the amount of radioactivity, approximately 2.2 % comes from uranium-235, 48.6 % uranium-238, and 49.2 %...
, heavy water
Heavy water
Heavy water is water highly enriched in the hydrogen isotope deuterium; e.g., heavy water used in CANDU reactors is 99.75% enriched by hydrogen atom-fraction...
moderated research reactor—started up on July 22, 1947. It operated for 43 years, producing radioisotopes, undertaking fuels and materials development work for CANDU reactors, and providing neutron
Neutron
The neutron is a subatomic hadron particle which has the symbol or , no net electric charge and a mass slightly larger than that of a proton. With the exception of hydrogen, nuclei of atoms consist of protons and neutrons, which are therefore collectively referred to as nucleons. The number of...
s for physics experiments. It was eventually joined in 1957 by the larger 200 megawatt (MW) National Research Universal
NRU
NRU may refer to:* National Reform Union , the formal name for the Reform Union, a minor, yet significant pressure group within the United Kingdom that demanded a secret ballot, extension of the franchise and equal sized constituencies in relation to the democratic process...
(NRU) reactor.
In 1952, the Canadian government formed AECL, a Crown corporation with the mandate to develop peaceful uses of nuclear energy. A partnership was formed between AECL, Ontario Hydro
Ontario Hydro
Ontario Hydro was the official name from 1974 of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario which was established in 1906 by the provincial Power Commission Act to build transmission lines to supply municipal utilities with electricity generated by private companies already operating at Niagara...
and Canadian General Electric to build Canada's first nuclear power plant, called NPD for Nuclear Power Demonstration
Nuclear Power Demonstration
Nuclear Power Demonstration was the first Canadian nuclear power reactor, and the prototype for the CANDU reactor design. Built by Canadian General Electric , in partnership with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and Ontario Hydro , it consisted of a single 22 MWe pressurized heavy water reactor ...
. The 20 MWe NPD started operation in 1962 and successfully demonstrated the unique concepts of on-power refuelling using natural uranium fuel, and heavy water moderator and coolant. These features formed the basis of a fleet of CANDU power reactors (CANDU is an acronym for CANada Deuterium Uranium) built and operated in Canada and elsewhere.
In the late 1960s (1967–1970), Canada also developed an experimental miniature nuclear reactor named SLOWPOKE
Slowpoke
Slowpoke may refer to:*Slowpoke , a fictional species of creatures in Pokémon media*SLOWPOKE reactor, a nuclear research reactor*Slowpoke , a band from Dallas, Texas, who have worked with the Toadies*Slowpoke...
(acronym for Safe Low-Power Kritical Experiment). The first prototype was built at Chalk River and many SLOWPOKEs were subsequently built, mainly for research. This reactor design is extremely safe and requires almost no maintenance (it is even licensed to operate unattended overnight); it can run for more than 20 years before the nuclear fuel needs replacement. There was an attempt at commercializing the reactor, as it could be used in remote areas or vehicles (research stations, electric-diesel submarines). Then, China entered the market with its SLOWPOKE-like reactor and thus, the project lost its commercial potential. Many SLOWPOKEs are still in use in Canada; there is one running at École Polytechnique de Montréal
École Polytechnique de Montréal
The École Polytechnique de Montréal is an engineering school/faculty affiliated with the University of Montreal in Montreal, Canada. It ranks first in Canada for the scope of its engineering research. It is occasionally referred to as Montreal Polytechnic, although in Quebec English its French...
, for instance.
Proposals
The Province of Ontario has announced plans to build a new nuclear station. The leading candidate is AECLAECL
AECL is an acronym that can stand for:*Advanced Electronics Company Limited*Atomic Energy of Canada Limited*Australian Egg Corporation Limited...
's Advanced CANDU Reactor
Advanced CANDU Reactor
The Advanced CANDU Reactor is a Generation III+ nuclear reactor design and is a further development of existing CANDU reactors designed by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. The ACR is a light-water-cooled reactor that incorporates features of both Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors and Advanced...
. Environmental assessments are currently underway for one site next to Bruce Power
Bruce Power
Bruce Power Limited Partnership is a Canadian business partnership composed of several corporations. It exists as a partnership between Cameco Corporation , TransCanada Corporation , BPC Generation Infrastructure Trust , the Power Workers Union and The Society of Energy Professionals...
's Bruce Nuclear Generating Station
Bruce Nuclear Generating Station
Bruce Nuclear Generating Station is a Canadian nuclear power station located on the eastern shore of Lake Huron, in the communities of Inverhuron and Tiverton, Ontario. It occupies 932 ha of land. The facility derives its name from Bruce County in which it is located, in the former Bruce Township...
in Tiverton
Tiverton, Ontario
Tiverton is a community located in Ontario, Canada. It is near the shore of Lake Huron on Highway 21 between Port Elgin, Ontario and Kincardine, Ontario.Tiverton is incorporated in the Municipality of Kincardine.- History :...
and another next to Ontario Power Generation
Ontario Power Generation
Ontario Power Generation is a public company wholly owned by the Government of Ontario. OPG is responsible for approximately 70% of the electricity generation in the Province of Ontario, Canada. Sources of electricity include nuclear, hydroelectric, solar, wind, and fossil fuel...
's Darlington Nuclear Generating Station
Darlington Nuclear Generating Station
Darlington Nuclear Generating Station is a Canadian nuclear power station located on the north shore of Lake Ontario in Clarington, Ontario. The facility derives its name from the Township of Darlington, the former name of the municipality in which it is located.The Darlington station is a large...
. Bruce Power has applied for a license to generate nuclear power at Cardinal Lake
Cardinal Lake
Cardinal Lake is a lake in north-western Alberta, Canada. It is located at the southern end of Mackenzie Highway, near Grimshaw.Cardinal Lake has a total area of 50 km². Its waters are drained through the Whitemud River into the Peace River....
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
.
Safety
Following the 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents2011 Japanese nuclear accidents
This is a list of articles describing aspects of the nuclear shut-downs, failures, and nuclear meltdowns triggered by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.-Fukushima nuclear power plants:* Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant...
, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has "ordered all reactor operators to revisit their safety plans and report on potential improvements" by the end of April.
See also
- Electricity sector in Canada
- Nuclear industry in CanadaNuclear industry in CanadaNuclear industry in Canada is an active business and research sector, producing about 15% of its electricity in nuclear power plants of domestic design. Canada is the world's largest exporter of uranium, and has the world's second largest proven reserves...
- List of nuclear reactors
- Canadian Nuclear AssociationCanadian Nuclear AssociationThe Canadian Nuclear Association was founded in 1960. Its mission is to represent the nuclear industry in Canada....
- Atomic Energy of Canada LimitedAtomic Energy of Canada LimitedAtomic Energy of Canada Limited or AECL is a Canadian federal Crown corporation and Canada's largest nuclear science and technology laboratory...
- Energy Alberta CorporationEnergy Alberta CorporationEnergy Alberta Corporation was created in 2005 to provide nuclear power to the energy-intensive development of the oil sands resources in northern Alberta. The company was founded by Hank Swartout, CEO of Precision Drilling Corporation, and Wayne Henuset, co-owner of Willow Park Wines and Spirits...
- Pembina InstitutePembina InstituteThe Pembina Institute is a Canadian not-for-profit think tank focused on developing innovative sustainable energy solutions. Founded in 1985, the Institute has offices in Calgary, Drayton Valley, Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, and Yellowknife....
- Anti-nuclear movement in CanadaAnti-nuclear movement in CanadaCanada has an active anti-nuclear movement, which includes major campaigning organisations like Greenpeace and the Sierra Club. Over 300 public interest groups across Canada have endorsed the mandate of the Campaign for Nuclear Phaseout...
- Science and technology in CanadaScience and technology in CanadaScience and technology in Canada consists of three distinct but closely related phenomena:* the diffusion of technology in Canada,* scientific research in Canada* innovation, invention and industrial research in Canada...
- Nuclear and radiation accidents by countryNuclear and radiation accidents by countryThis is a List of nuclear and radiation accidents by country.This list only reports the proximate confirmed human deaths and does not go into detail about ecological, environmental or long term effects such as birth defects or permanent loss of habitable land.-Brazil:*September 13, 1987 – Goiania...
External links
- The Canadian Nuclear FAQ
- The Canadian Nuclear Society
- "Entering the Nuclear Age" (Legion Magazine, Sept/Oct 2003)
- "Economic Impact of the Nuclear Industry in Canada" (Canadian Energy Research Institute, 2003)
- "Nuclear Power in Canada: An Examination of Risks, Impacts and Sustainability" (Pembina Institute, 2006)
- "Where is my Electricity Coming From at this Hour? (if I lived in Ontario)" (Canadian Nuclear Society, with data from IESO)