Ottawa is hoping that Poland can do a commitment to CANDU.
What happened: Energy Minister Tim Hodgson is pitching Poland on using CANDU reactors, produced by Montreal firm AtkinsRéalis, to power its second nuclear power plant, which is slated to begin construction in 2032. Considering Poland signed a deal with Canada to advance cooperation on nuclear tech, there’s a decent shot this happens.
Poland’s first plant will use reactors from Westinghouse. And while Westinghouse is owned by Canadian firms Cameco and Brookfield Asset Management, its supply chain is U.S.-based and any technological exports require U.S. government approval.
Catch-up: The last new CANDU reactors were built in 2007, but like other bygone trends of the 2000s, they're making a comeback. Romania inked a deal in 2024 to use CANDU technology for its new nuclear power plants, and old reactors were recently refurbished at Ontario’s Darlington nuclear power plant (under budget and ahead of schedule, no less).
Ottawa is heavily invested in CANDU’s success, as it still owns the IP rights behind the technology. Last year, it loaned AtkinsRéalis $304 million for a redesign of the flagship MONARK reactor that would nearly double its power output.
Why it matters: CANDU reactors are made by a Canadian company, its rights owned by the feds, and over 90% of its supply chain is domestic, including Canadian-sourced unenriched uranium. If they can get even a sliver of the growing international nuclear energy pie, it could generate an economic windfall that will largely stay within Canadian borders.—QH