ELBOW - Nuclear power is in serious talks for the province of Saskatchewan, and one of the sites could possibly be in the Lake Diefenbaker region.
As part of SaskPower's planning and regulatory work to potentially develop nuclear power in the province, two areas have been identified for further study in order to determine the feasibility of hosting what's called a small modular reactor (SMR).
One is in the Estevan area, while the other is the Elbow area.
Specifically, the Elbow location would encompass the area around Lake Diefenbaker from Gardiner Dam to Diefenbaker Dam.
In order to identify these study areas, SaskPower used technical criteria that was based on the requirements of various SMR technologies that were evaluated earlier this year. Some of the criteria points included existing power infrastructure, workforce, nuclear regulations and standards, learnings from past generation siting projects, and perhaps where Diefenbaker comes into play, proximity to a suitable water supply.
The process certainly won't be overnight as it's said that a final decision on whether or not to build an SMR won't happen until 2029, but in order to keep nuclear power as an option for the province, SaskPower says that the significant planning and beginning stages of the work must be carried out now. With that, one of those necessary steps to move the regulatory work along is to identify and select a location to potentially host a small modular reactor.
Don Morgan, the minister responsible for SaskPower says the Crown corporation has reached "another critical milestone" in its planning to potentially bring nuclear power to the province, citing Saskatchewan's commitment to an electrical system that is sustainable, reliable and affordable.
The Elbow and Estevan areas are being studied because according to SaskPower, both sites would meet the needs of supporting an SMR. Both locations are close to a suitable body of water, have sufficient transmission and road infrastructure, and could sustain a sizable workforce.
While earlier reports stated that the storage of waste would be in Ontario, officials have confirmed that waste would in fact be stored in Saskatchewan.
The nearby Lake Diefenbaker, which serves as the Elbow area's main attraction, is also the main subject of a $4 billion irrigation project in the province that was announced in the summer of 2021. Speaking on Diefenbaker's potential, SaskPower officials have said that the water there would be able to support both the irrigation project and the SMR.
As part of their studies into the possibilities surrounding the Elbow and Estevan area locations, SaskPower will conduct a more detailed process that includes environmental, hydrological, geological, geotechnical, meteorological and other technical analysis. Such a process includes engaging with residents in the communities, Indigenous rights holders, municipal officials and other organizations. It's expected that SaskPower will also hold broader public consultations.
The province is looking at SMR facilities as a helpful solution because they don't release air emissions and would be able to use Saskatchewan's uranium resources. According to the province's growth plan, SMRs have the potential to increase the value of uranium sales to $2 billion, create as many as 100,000 more jobs, and grow private capital investment to $16 billion.
SMR facilities are also looked at as being a strong source of baseload energy, which officials say is crucial to ensure sustainable electrical generation. Looking at the broader picture as far as energy production in Saskatchewan, the province is also considering the addition of more wind and solar energy to the grid, as well as battery storage, carbon capture technology, hydrogen, and hydro power.
SaskPower is expected to own and operate the SMR facility if it is approved. The costs associated with the project have not yet been quoted, although past estimates suggest that an SMR could cost anywhere from $2-5 billion.
In a media release, SaskPower President and CEO Rupen Pandya says engagement with people on such a project is critical.
“Feedback and perspectives from not just the regions but from the entire province are very important to SaskPower as we plan to potentially incorporate nuclear power into the generation mix,” said Pandya. “Engagement and consultation with Indigenous rightsholders and the public is critical to this project, and I encourage the people of Saskatchewan to reach out and engage with us on this important project.”
As well, it's expected that SaskPower will also meet with non-government organizations, government ministries and agencies, and other organizations within the study areas to gain a regional perspective regarding nuclear power.
Village of Elbow mayor Colleen Hoppenreys was quoted by a Regina publication as saying that the pros and cons of such an undertaking need to be explored and the people affected need to have their voices heard.
“We’re going to look at the pros and cons and see how it might benefit the village,” she said. “There can always be concerns, but we have to talk with the people first.”
Some Elbow and area residents have already made their views public, as a Facebook post announcing SaskPower's online information sessions regarding the project spurred a few people to react with their gut feelings to the potential project.
"Disgusting not exciting news," posted Rachel Lauren. "Let’s think about the security threat, the impact on the environment, the radioactive waste…."
"I would rather not be near a reactor," posted Adam Schellenberg. "I would hope they would choose Estavan (SP). Instead of taking water from recreational lake and cycling it back in after it’s been polluted. There are tones (SP) camp grounds, parks, marinas and farm land in the surrounding area. This would ruin all of them."
"Oh no!!!" posted Kimberly Sogge. "What a terrible idea: poison the largest source of fresh water in the whole watershed."
Of course, such visceral reactions are to be expected when a project of this size and magnitude is announced, particularly if the project involves nuclear energy, which is already a hot-button topic on the surface of things. It remains to be seen if such views on the project are the same after more information is released, should the project move forward for the Elbow and Lake Diefenbaker regional area.
During one of those online information sessions, which were held on Thursday, September 22, details of the project were discussed and SaskPower representatives answered a number of questions from those watching the broadcast on Zoom.
Darcy Holderness, SaskPower's project manager of small modular reactor development, said the overall initiative is still very early in its phasing stage.
"We're very early into the planning phase," he said. "It's a long-term play, and we think it's going to take eight or nine years to get through the planning phase before we're ready to make decisions. That's where the 2029 decision to proceed comes in. We'll be deciding at the end of this decade, by that timeframe, whether to enter the construction phase and build and operate these reactors or not."
Holderness cited a number of "key criteria" factors for a region to have in order to host this type of technology and power facility, including those that the size and scope of a lake such as Diefenbaker can provide.
"We need a water body," he said. "The nuclear power station needs access to a lake or reservoir that can provide a cooling water supply for the operation. Very similar to how we operate our coal facilities across the province, they're sited near where we have access to cooling water. The location also has to be close to transmission lines, where we can move this amount of energy around."
SaskPower will be conducting further engagement sessions with communities in the study areas over the next year, and with the feedback collected, it will inform their site shortlist by the end of 2023. The final decision on approving a small modular reactor won't happen until 2029.
