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 |
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March 20, 2019 | GFP submission of licence application to prepare site |
![]() Assessments |
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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 |
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To be confirmed | |
![]() Commission decisions |
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To be confirmed |
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![]() Licence issued |
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To be confirmed |
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![]() Compliance activities |
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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
- Update on Global First Power’s Micro Modular Reactor Project (February 2022)
- Global First Power Micro Modular Reactor Project
- GFP’s proposed MMR Project at Chalk River, Ontario
- GFP-CNSC Administrative Protocol for the MMR Project at Chalk River Environmental Assessment (EA) & Power Reactor Site Licence (PRSL) Application
- Update on Global First Power’s Micro Modular Reactor Project (July 2021)
- Environmental assessment for the MMR Project
- Canadian Impact Assessment Registry for the MMR Project
- Small modular reactors
- Readiness to respond to small modular reactor technology
- Webinar: Regulating small modular reactors
- Webinar: Global First Power’s proposed Micro Modular Reactor Project
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