en.Wedoany.com Reported - Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has submitted an operating license application to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) for the construction of the first BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) within the new nuclear power project at Darlington. Once approved, this application will authorize OPG to commission and safely operate the reactor for a period of 20 years upon completion of construction, and will also cover the operation of associated low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste storage facilities. This marks a critical step forward for Canada in advancing the construction of the first SMR among G7 nations.
OPG obtained the construction license for this project in April 2025 and has now cleared the first "regulatory hold point"—the construction of the reactor building foundation—allowing it to proceed to the civil construction phase for the reactor building and related internal structures. The next critical milestone is the installation of the reactor pressure vessel. The Darlington project is the first new nuclear power construction project in Ontario in over three decades. Its first unit is planned to be connected to the grid by the end of 2030. The total budget for the four units is approximately CA$20.9 billion, and it is expected to contribute about CA$38.5 billion to Canada's GDP, while also generating significant economic and employment benefits during both the construction and operational phases.
The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe small natural circulation boiling water reactor designed by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, featuring passive safety systems. Its design and nuclear fuel technology are based on the certified ESBWR reactor. Since the commencement of preparatory work for the Darlington project in 2022, several long-lead items, including the reactor pressure vessel, have been procured. OPG, in collaboration with the provincial government, is promoting local procurement to ensure that approximately 80% of the project's expenditures are directed towards businesses within Ontario.
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