Thinking Big About Small: Enabling Development of a Market for Small Modular Reactors Within the Mining Industry

Abstract

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) have the potential to achieve many Canadian policy objectives by providing clean and affordable energy. At the same time, they could create significant economic benefit through their export potential. The Canadian SMR Roadmap identifies potential opportunities for SMRs to service at least three energy markets: on-grid, heavy industry/resource extraction, and remote communities. The heavy industry/resource extraction and remote community markets are not familiar with nuclear technology and there is much work needed to prepare them for a successful deployment. The mining sector is used as an example market to investigate the challenges that must be overcome, and to suggest actions that might enable a successful deployment. As such, this paper is intended to help inform the development of the SMR action plan as a next logical step in realizing the SMR Roadmap's ambition.