Foreign reactor bids could cause $29M expense
OTTAWA, ONTARIO - The price tag for specialized nuclear consultants will be as much as $29 million if rivals of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. bid on Ontario's new reactor contract, documents show.
Canada's nuclear-safety watchdog lacks expertise in the type of light-water reactors made by AECL's competitors and would have to bring in specialists to review licence applications if competitors enter bids.
"It is estimated that there will be two applications with this design requiring outsourced technical expertise at an estimated cost of $29 million over five years," says a memo prepared by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
Those applications would come from Areva of France and Westinghouse Electric of the U.S.
There are no light-water reactors in Canada – AECL makes Candu heavy-water reactors – so the commission never needed much expertise in the area, says another memo.
Commission spokesperson Aurèle Gervais said the $29 million would not be spent if no firm applies for a light-water reactor licence.
Related News
NB Power signs three deals to bring more Quebec electricity into the province
FREDERICTION - NB Power and Hydro-Quebec have signed three deals that will see Quebec sell more electricity to New Brunswick and provide help with the refurbishment of the Mactaquac hydroelectric generating station.
Under the first agreement, Hydro-Quebec will export 47 terawatt hours of electricity to New Brunswick between now and 2040 over existing power lines — expanding on an agreement in place since 2012.
The second deal will see Hydro-Quebec share expertise for part of the refurbishment of the Mactaquac dam to extend the useful life of the generating station until at least 2068, when the 670 megawatt facility on the St.…
