Regulatory Review Status for the Micro Modular Reactor Project

Global First Power’s Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) Project involves a proposal for the site preparation, construction, operation and decommissioning of a micro modular reactor plant at the Chalk River Laboratories site in Renfrew County, Ontario, approximately 200 kilometres northwest of Ottawa. GFP’s proposed MMR Project would provide process heat to an adjacent plant via molten salt and produce approximately 15 megawatts (thermal) of process heat to generate electrical power and/or heat over an operating lifespan of 20 years.

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) authorization is required in the form of a licence issued under subsection 24(2) of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act in order for the proposed MMR project to proceed. Currently, GFP is seeking CNSC approval for a licence to prepare the site. However, before the Commission can make a licensing decision on this proposal, CNSC staff must complete an environmental assessment (EA) under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012). Although the Impact Assessment Act came into force on August 28, 2019, it contains provisions for ongoing projects to be completed under CEAA 2012. This means that the CNSC will continue to lead the review of the MMR Project.

The completion of an EA under CEAA 2012 involves producing an EA report based on the information in GFP’s project description (PD), a final environmental impact statement (EIS) and other supporting documentation.

CNSC's environmental assessment process

CNSC staff must review the evidence and provide information on whether or not the proposed MMR Project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects before the Commission can proceed with its licensing decision. The CNSC will make this information available as a Commission member document (CMD) before Part 1 of the 2-part public hearing.

Environmental assessment start date: July 15, 2019
Reference number: 80182

Application submitted
March 20, 2019 GFP submission of licence application to prepare site

Assessments
July 15, 2019 Notice of commencement of an EA
July 15, 2019 Public comments invited on PD
January 27, 2020 Notice of 1st participant funding offering: Scope of EA review
June 20, 2020 Commission hearing on the scope of the EA
July 16, 2020 Record of decision on the scope of the EA
May 9, 2022 Notice of 2nd participant funding offering: Draft EIS review
To be confirmed GFP submission of the draft EIS and licensing documentation
To be confirmed CNSC and federal/provincial technical review of draft EIS and licensing documentation
To be confirmed Public comments invited on draft EIS
To be confirmed CNSC open houses
To be confirmed GFP submission of final EIS and licensing documentation
To be confirmed Notice of 3rd participant funding offering: Public hearing participation
To be confirmed CNSC staff CMD and EA report available for public review
To be confirmed Public intervention deadline

Public hearing
To be confirmed

Commission decisions

To be confirmed

Licence issued

To be confirmed

Compliance activities

To be confirmed

Contact

For general CNSC updates, subscribe to the CNSC’s mailing list. For information directly related to this project, please contact:

Doug Wylie, Environmental Assessment Officer
Email: MMR-MRM@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca
Telephone: 343-542-7668 or 1-800-668-5284

Mailing address: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
P. O. Box 1046, Station B
Ottawa ON K1P 5S9

Additional resources

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