MONTREAL, Jan. 27, 2023 /CNW Telbec/ - Candu Energy Inc., a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group (TSX: SNC), has entered into an agreement with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to deliver the Darlington New Nuclear Project. The project is spearheading the deployment of the GEH BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor (SMR) before the end of the decade. It will be the first grid-scale SMR deployed in Canada.

"SNC-Lavalin is a strong proponent for the necessary role of nuclear power in the Net Zero energy mix," said Ian L. Edwards, President and CEO, SNC-Lavalin. "As we've laid out in our Engineering Net Zero report, Canada's 2050 Net Zero commitments will require large-scale electrification of transportation, buildings and heavy industrial processes. That electricity needs to be generated from clean, reliable, and cost-efficient sources, whose employment in the energy mix will not weaken energy security. Our involvement in what will be Canada's first SMR to come to market, and its first nuclear new build in roughly 30 years, reaffirms SNC-Lavalin's leading position in the nuclear energy market, for both existing and new nuclear technologies."

The 6-year alliance agreement represents an innovative contracting approach for a nuclear project in North America. As part of an alliance with Aecon and GE-Hitachi, SNC-Lavalin will provide OPG with a diverse range of expertise for the engineering and build of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station's SMR. This is expected to include deploying project management, licensing, engineering, design, procurement, construction support and commissioning, as well as digital delivery capabilities in both the nuclear island and balance of plant scopes for the project.

"Following our on-time, on-budget success working with OPG on the refurbishment of Darlington's existing CANDU reactors, we are very pleased to contribute our expertise with our alliance partners on this exciting new build," said Joe St. Julian, President, Nuclear, SNC-Lavalin. "Canada was the second country in the world to ever generate commercial nuclear power. Together with our alliance partners, we will ensure Canada again leads the way to advance an exciting new frontier in nuclear energy. We continue to work with SMR vendors in Canada and around the world to bring more of these reactors online, coinciding with a rise in interest from jurisdictions looking to use nuclear power to decarbonize their energy mix, while maintaining their energy self-sufficiency."

In providing a strong array of capabilities to its alliance partners, SNC-Lavalin will leverage its Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission licensing expertise and unmatched strengths as a reactor developer. As the original equipment manufacturer of CANDU reactors, SNC-Lavalin is the only company to have a technology pass all three phases of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission's pre-project design review, and will leverage its extensive nuclear new build expertise to drive a successful outcome for this first of a kind project.

"SMRs will play a key role in helping to reinvigorate Ontario's economy and further support the province and Canada as we work toward meeting our climate change targets of zero-emission electricity," said Ken Hartwick, President and CEO of OPG. "Canada's ability to lead in global SMR deployment is enabled by our strong nuclear supply chain, as evidenced by the on time, on budget delivery of the existing Darlington Refurbishment Project. Building on our relationship as part of that refurbishment, we are pleased to welcome SNC-Lavalin and its expertise to the team that is deploying the BWRX-300 as the first SMR to be commissioned in North America."

Founded in 1911, SNC-Lavalin is a fully integrated professional services and project management company with offices around the world dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We create sustainable solutions that connect people, technology and data to design, deliver and operate the most complex projects. We deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital – and delivered to clients in key strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear, Operations & Maintenance and Capital. News and information are available at snclavalin.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

SNC-Lavalin has over 60 years' of global nuclear expertise, delivering nuclear technology products and full-service solutions to nuclear utilities around the world. With an innovative technology portfolio, including access to over 500 patented solutions, SNC-Lavalin solves technically complex challenges across the whole nuclear lifecycle from design and new build through asset management and from life extension and late life management through decommissioning and waste management. SNC-Lavalin operates and manages government nuclear research sites, transforming ageing infrastructure and safely managing legacy nuclear waste. SNC-Lavalin is the steward of CANDU® nuclear technology, operating on four continents, and provides advisory and engineering services to other nuclear developers. SNC-Lavalin is also involved in developing medical radioisotopes for cancer research through its partnership with TerraPower.

SOURCE SNC-Lavalin

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