Global First Power files Canada’s first SMR project license application

Ontario’s Global First Power (GFP) has submitted Canada’s first small modular reactor (SMR) project license application to build a plant at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) Chalk River site, GFP announced April 1.

GFP has applied to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) for a License to Prepare Site for a potential Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) project, the company said.
GFP is developing a 5 MWe high-temperature gas-cooled reactor designed by U.S. group Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC).

In February, GFP became the first SMR developer to advance to the third stage of Canada’s selection process to build a full-scale demonstration plant.

CNL aims to host at least one demonstration plant on site by 2026. In June 2018, four SMR developers, including Global First Power, Terrestrial Energy and Starcore Nuclear, entered into CNL’s design selection process.

GFP has progressed through the prequalification and due diligence stages of CNL’s selection process and can now proceed with stage 3, which involves non-exclusive negotiations on land arrangements, project risk management, and contractual terms, CNL said in February.