- Ontario begins constructing the first of four small modular nuclear reactors, aiming to lead the G7 in next-generation atomic technology.
- The first reactor will power 300,000 homes and connect to the grid by 2030.
Ontario officially began construction on the first of four small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), marking a significant step in Canada’s ambition to lead G7 nations in next-generation nuclear technology.
Ontario Energy Minister Stephen Lecce announced Thursday, May 8, at the Darlington New Nuclear Project site, where workers were already excavating land for the first reactor and preparing the site for the remaining three.
“We are protecting Ontario by building the most resilient energy future any country has ever seen,” Lecce said. “We are taking our true place as a global clean energy superpower and a leader in nuclear innovation and technology.”
The project, led by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), will use a boiling water reactor design from GE Vernova. Meanwhile, each SMR will generate enough electricity to power 300,000 homes in Toronto, which will be just 10% of the size and complexity of traditional nuclear plants.
The first reactor will cost an estimated $6.1 billion, with an additional $1.6 billion for shared systems and services across all four reactors. Costs are expected to drop with each unit built.
Furthermore, the Darlington reactor, set to be connected to the grid by the end of 2030, will place Canada ahead of other G7 countries, including France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Japan, and the U.S., in deploying commercial next-generation nuclear technology.
The U.S. also sees progress with Bill Gates’ TerraPower project in Wyoming and Kairos Power’s test reactor in Tennessee; only Russia and China currently operate advanced nuclear reactors.
In addition, Ontario’s electricity demand may rise 75% by 2050, mainly driven by industrial expansion and high-energy data centres. Officials see SMRs as a critical tool to meet that demand with zero-emission power.
Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy also noted that Canada must prioritise energy self-sufficiency amid an uncertain alliance amid growing tensions with the U.S. “The world economy is changing,” Bethlenfalvy said. “And it’s important that Canada be self-reliant.”
Recent drought conditions, declining hydropower exports, and competitive U.S. natural gas prices have shifted Canada’s once-dominant position as a net electricity exporter. That shift and recent U.S. political rhetoric calling for Canada to become the 51st state have rattled relations between the neighbouring nations.
The SMR rollout represents more than a technological leap; it signals a strategic pivot towards energy independence, climate leadership, and sustainability.