Ontario Power Generation, its subsidiary Laurentis Energy Partners, BWXT ITG Canada Inc and its affiliates yesterday said they are making "significant progress" towards the production of molybdenum-99 at OPG's Darlington plant. Darlington will be the first large-scale nuclear power station to produce the medical radioisotope, they said.

Ontario Power Generation's Centre for Canadian Nuclear Sustainability has announced a collaboration agreement between Laurentis Energy Partners and BWXT Canada to develop technology that will assist in the recycling of heavy water at OPG's nuclear facilities. Canada's Candu pressurised heavy water reactors use unenriched, or "natural", uranium oxide fuel and heavy water as both the moderator to slow down neutrons in the reactor's core and as the reactor coolant.

Terrestrial Energy and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories are to collaborate on a programme of work evaluating safeguards related to the operation of Terrestrial's Integral Molten Salt Reactor. The work will involve developing and testing techniques to track the behaviour of the proposed liquid fuel that would be used in Terrestrial's IMSR design.

A newly announced CAD55 million (USD42 million) contract for fuel channel maintenance to extend operations at Bruce 3 is one of several joint projects between Bruce Power and BWXT the companies say will advance Ontario's post-COVID economic recovery programme. The companies also announced the shipment of the first "made-in-Ontario" steam generator for Major Component Replacement project at Bruce unit 6.

One in three Canadians sees climate change or global warming as the number one "extremely serious" issue currently faced by the country, according to a newly released Canadian Nuclear Association study. Some 78% of those surveyed said they are very concerned about the negative impact of climate change on future generations.

Work has begun on the refurbishment of Darlington unit 3, Ontario Power Generation has announced. Unit 3 is the second of four Candu units at the site to undergo refurbishment in a 10-year project that will enable the plant to continue operations until 2055.

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories has announced a collaboration agreement with US-based Kairos Power, which is working to develop and license fluoride salt-cooled small modular reactor technology. The agreement is funded through CNL's Canadian Nuclear Research Initiative programme and will cover research and engineering of technologies to separate, analyse and store tritium generated through the reactor's operation.

Holtec International's SMR-160 reactor has completed the first phase of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission's vendor design review process. The company plans to begin the second phase of the voluntary pre-licensing review in the near future.

Bruce Power and Cameco yesterday announced the launch of a centre for next generation nuclear technologies as one of a series of initiatives to leverage their existing partnership to help rebuild the Canadian economy post-COVID, protect the environment and fight disease. They also announced that Cameco will supply an additional 1600 specialised fuel bundles for the 2024 restart of Bruce unit 6, which is currently undergoing refurbishment.

Canada's Nuclear Waste Management Organisation is seeking input from the public to help guide and shape its plans for the transportation of used nuclear fuel from reactor sites to a deep geological repository in the 2040s.

The government of Ontario has announced its support for a plan by Ontario Power Generation to extend the operating period of the Pickering nuclear power plant until the end of 2025. The six operating units are currently scheduled for closure by the end of 2024.

US company X-energy has initiated a Vendor Design Review for its Xe-100 small modular reactor design with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. Kinetrics will lead X-energy’s Canadian regulatory affairs and licensing efforts.