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REGINA – The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) has been named as the primary organization responsible for micro-Small Modular Reactor (microreactor) development in Saskatchewan.

The SRC will also be the sole organization authorized to hold the regulatory licenses and be the licensed operator of microreactors in the province, while the sector is in the early stages of commercial development, a release said.

“The goal is to safely accelerate the commercial adoption of microreactors within the province over the next five to 10 years, positioning Saskatchewan as a global leader in the nuclear microreactor supply chain. These deployments will create economic development opportunities and jobs,” said the Minister Responsible for SRC Jeremy Harrison in a statement.

The SRC will provide full life cycle integrated services on a commercial basis to industry and communities looking to establish microreactor operations to support their business and economic development.

The SRC process will be designed to reduce the risks and costs for industrial and community users, while providing consistency in safety practices, reactor operations, licensing and public engagement for all microreactor users within the province, the release said.

The provincial government announced $80 million in funding for SRC in November 2023 to pursue the demonstration of a microreactor in Saskatchewan.

The organization will apply research and knowledge gained from the licensing and deployment of an initial microreactor to support the Saskatchewan nuclear industry to better understand this type of technology and the potential for future microreactor projects in the province, the release said.

“What we learn through the initial microreactor demonstration will help SRC provide a one-stop-shop for industrial companies and Indigenous communities looking to progress microreactor projects in the province, from early feasibility to full reactor operation. Microreactors will provide a custom solution as part of Saskatchewan’s future energy needs and this sector has the opportunity to be transformative for our economy, industry and communities,” added SRC president and CEO Mike Crabtree.

SRC is Canada’s second largest research and technology organization with 1,600 clients in 22 countries around the world, the release said.