SaskPower says site investigations for a proposed nuclear project near Estevan could begin in January 2027, while Councillor Kirsten Walliser sought clarity on how the plans relate to coal-fired power commitments. (Discover Estevan Staff)
SaskPower could begin detailed site investigations for a proposed small modular nuclear reactor project near Estevan as early as January 2027, following the selection of the Rafferty Reservoir area for further study.
David Brock, SaskPower’s vice-president of nuclear, presented an update to Estevan City Council on October 13, outlining why the site was selected, what work remains, and the potential timeline for bringing nuclear power to the region.
The province announced on September 29 that the Rafferty site had been selected for further study as the potential location for two small modular reactors.
Site investigations could begin in early 2027
Brock said SaskPower had spent the past several years narrowing its options, first looking at sites across the province before focusing on the Estevan and Elbow regions. More recently, the company had been examining two potential sites near Estevan: Boundary Dam and Rafferty Reservoir.
He said the Rafferty location was chosen for further study for several reasons, including ground stability, access to water and the layout of the site. “You’ll appreciate engineering is a big part of what you’re doing in building a nuclear reactor,” Brock told council. “And so that ground stability matters a lot to us as well as to our regulator, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.”
Water availability was another consideration, along with the ability to accommodate the project.
Brock said the Boundary Dam site was divided by a highway, while the Rafferty location provides more flexibility for construction and the eventual operation of the facility.
With the site selected for further study, SaskPower is moving into a more detailed phase of work. “We will start work right away on what we’ll call site characterization,” Brock said.
Although some geotechnical work has already been completed, he said more information is needed before SaskPower can apply for a licence to prepare the site. “That work will take about two to three years,” Brock said, explaining that the studies will focus largely on environmental, social and geotechnical factors.
He said SaskPower had already released its first procurement documents and was ready to move ahead following the provincial announcement. “So you could see work on that site start perhaps as early as January of next year,” Brock said, adding that the investigations would continue over the following two to three years.
Regulatory process still ahead
Brock told council that SaskPower is also preparing an Initial Project Description for the federal government. The document will outline the work completed so far and provide information about the proposed site and the surrounding region.
He described it as an important step toward formal regulatory oversight. “The most important part of that is that’s kind of the beginning for us of formal regulatory oversight by the government of Canada and again particularly by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission,” Brock said.
SaskPower will need to proceed through several licensing stages before a nuclear facility could operate. The first would allow the company to prepare the site, followed by a construction licence and, eventually, an operating licence.
Brock said the company would also continue working with Indigenous partners, including nearby First Nations and the Métis Nation, as the project advances.
He stressed that selecting Rafferty for further study does not mean the facility is ready for construction. More studies and regulatory work are required before those decisions can be made.
The longer-term target is to have the first small modular reactor producing power in the Estevan area by the mid-2030s. “Following that, hopefully in close succession we will apply for a licence to construct,” Brock said. “That’s what enables us to then construct the reactor and finally a licence to operate so that by the mid-2030s we are producing power from a first small modular reactor in the Estevan area.”
Walliser asks how nuclear plans affect coal commitments
Councillor Kirsten Walliser asked Brock about a question being raised in the community: how the new nuclear announcement relates to previous commitments concerning the lifespan of Saskatchewan’s coal-fired power plants. “Certainly, the questions coming out of the community are: how does this new announcement impact previous commitments to the extension of coal lifespan?” Walliser asked.
Brock said he viewed the two issues as separate from a project perspective, while acknowledging the provincial government’s broader energy policy. “I think the simple part would be that there is, to my mind, no relationship between the two from a project perspective,” Brock said. “But as you know, from a government policy perspective, the government is very clear on wanting to bridge from coal to nuclear.”
He said advancing the nuclear project could help provide confidence to businesses in the Estevan area and to SaskPower employees whose work has been connected to coal-fired generation. “The sooner we can get those nuclear reactors up and running, the greater confidence I hope it gives to businesses in the Estevan area,” Brock said.
He also pointed to the possibility of future employment transitions for workers already in the energy sector, particularly those working as operators at coal-fired plants. “Many of whom, especially as operators, are looking for opportunities should the time come to move from working on one of the coal plants into working at a nuclear power plant,” Brock said.
Brock added that seeing work begin at the site could make the project’s progress more tangible for the community. “I think actually seeing work on the site will give people even greater encouragement and confidence that that’s happening,” he said.
SaskPower says more work is needed before construction
Brock reiterated that the site selection is an important step, but significant work remains before a nuclear facility can be built and begin generating electricity.
The next phase will focus on collecting more detailed information about the site, preparing the required project documentation, and advancing the regulatory process.
The project’s next steps will depend on the results of the investigations and the required regulatory approvals.
Source: Discover Estevan