The Ontario government has announced plans to expand its small modular reactor (SMR) program at the Darlington nuclear site in partnership with Ontario Power Generation (OPG).
The province announced the plan on Friday, which involves the addition of three more SMRs, bringing the total to four, which would generate a combined 1,200 megawatts (MW) of electricity, enough to power 1.2 million homes.
This move comes as Ontario experiences its first increase in electricity demand since 2005, driven by the province’s robust economic growth and the rise of electrification. The new SMRs, subject to regulatory approvals, are expected to be operational between 2034 and 2036.
The reactors will provide reliable, baseload power to meet the province’s growing electricity needs well into the 2030s and beyond. The expansion of the SMR program is part of the government’s broader strategy to ensure Ontario’s clean electricity advantage and to fuel job creation and industrial growth.
“Our government’s open-for-business approach has led to unprecedented investments across the province — from electric vehicles and battery manufacturing to critical minerals to green steel,” said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy.
“Expanding Ontario’s world-leading SMR program will ensure we have the reliable, affordable and clean electricity we need to power the next major international investment, the new homes we are building and industries as they grow and electrify.”
Image by A. Vargas via International Atomic Energy Agency.
Read more: Governments of Saskatchewan and New Brunswick join forces on SMR development
The Independent Electricity System Operator has recommended new nuclear generation to meet the province’s increasing electricity needs. The additional SMRs are expected to come online between 2034 and 2036, pending regulatory approvals from the Ontario Government and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).
Building multiple units will allow common infrastructure such as cooling water intake, transmission connection and a control room to be utilized by all four units, reducing costs.
“A fleet of SMRs at the Darlington New Nuclear Site is key to meeting growing electricity demands and net zero goals,” said Ken Hartwick, OPG President and CEO.
The Darlington SMR project is located on the traditional and treaty territories of the seven Williams Treaties First Nations and the Huron Wendat peoples. OPG is actively engaging and consulting with potentially impacted Indigenous communities, exploring economic opportunities in the Darlington SMR project such as commercial participation and employment.
Building additional SMRs at Darlington would provide more opportunities for Ontario companies as suppliers of nuclear equipment, components and services to expand their operation to serve the growing SMR market both domestically and abroad.
The government’s investment in new SMR development and nuclear power is part of a larger plan to prepare for electricity demand in the 2030s and 2040s.
This plan aims to build on Ontario’s clean electricity advantage and ensure the province maintains its position as a leader in job creation and a magnet for the industries of the future.
