OAKVILLE, Ontario, Oct. 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Terrestrial Energy and Cameco Corporation (TSX: CCO; NYSE: CCJ), both leading Canadian companies in their fields, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to examine potential partnership opportunities to deploy Terrestrial Energy’s Integrated Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) Generation IV nuclear power plants in North America and worldwide, and to evaluate possible opportunities for the supply of uranium supply, fuel and other services. As part of these activities, the companies are investigating the potential of Cameco’s Port Hope uranium conversion facility in southern Ontario for IMSR fuel salt supply.

This MOU is non-binding and non-exclusive. It follows Terrestrial Energy’s prior agreements with Cameco to supply uranium products for its ongoing fuel testing programs.

“Nuclear energy is a proven, reliable source of carbon-free power and a critical tool in achieving a net-zero emissions future in North America and worldwide,” said Tim Gitzel, Cameco’s president and CEO. “Cameco plans to be a key fuel supplier for the emerging small modular reactor and advanced reactor market. We look forward to investigating with Terrestrial Energy opportunities to partner for possible future deployments of its next-generation nuclear power plant technology.”

Cameco is a leading provider of uranium, refining, conversion, fuel fabrication and component manufacturing services for the global nuclear energy industry. The company is one of the world’s largest producers of uranium fuel for carbon-free nuclear power generation, including supplying fuel and fuel assemblies for CANDU reactors in Canada and abroad.

“Cameco is a Canadian and global leader in uranium supply and other fuel services, and we welcome this opportunity to investigate with them opportunities around the deployment of IMSR power plants and to supply nuclear fuel to our plants in Canada and worldwide,” said Simon Irish, CEO of Terrestrial Energy. “IMSR power plants use Generation IV nuclear technology for a 50 percent improvement in the efficiency of nuclear power generation and are a carbon-free alternative to burning fossil fuels.”

The Terrestrial Energy IMSR power plant is one of three Small Modular Reactor (SMR) power plant designs under consideration for deployment at Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington Nuclear Generating Station.
It is one of two Generation IV technology candidates under consideration by OPG, and the IMSR is the only Canadian technology candidate.

Terrestrial Energy’s Oakville operation represents the largest SMR power plant technology development project in Canada. Terrestrial Energy announced on September 14 its upgraded IMSR400 power plant, which consists of twin IMSRs and generators to produce 390 MW of clean electricity from one facility.

About Terrestrial Energy

Terrestrial Energy is a developer of small and modular nuclear power plants that use its proprietary Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) technology. IMSR technology is non-Light Water Reactor and Generation IV technology and will generate electricity 50 percent more efficiently than conventional nuclear reactor technolgy. The IMSR represents a step-change improvement in economics, versatility and functionality of nuclear power plants that is possible only through Generation IV technology. IMSR power plants will provide resilient, reliable, dispatchable, zero-carbon and cost-competitive electric power, as well as high-grade industrial heat for use in many industrial applications, such as chemical synthesis, hydrogen production and desalination, and in so doing extend the application of nuclear energy far beyond electric power markets. IMSR power plants have the potential to make important contributions to industrial competitiveness, energy security, and economic growth. Their deployment will support rapid global decarbonization of the primary energy system by displacing fossil fuel combustion across a broad spectrum and can scale to meet net-zero policy goals of major industrial economies. Using an innovative design, and proven and demonstrated molten salt reactor technology, Terrestrial Energy is engaged with regulators and industrial partners to complete IMSR engineering and to commission first IMSR power plants in the late 2020s.