Safety and Licensing Considerations for Small Modular Reactors: International Experience and Canadian Considerations

Abstract

The Canadian market has a number of potential applications for small modular reactors in industries such as mining, oil and gas, and defense where power demand is often in remote locations not easily serviced by the electrical grid. Since Canada has a long history of nuclear power regulation (including small reactors) and has developed regulatory documents for small reactors, there is high potential for SMRs to be successfully licensed, designed, built, and operated. This paper summarized Canadian and International experience with small reactors. It also summarizes safety and licensing considerations from this experience.