Key facts
- Ontario Power Generation applied to the CNSC for a 20-year operating licence for the first BWRX-300 at Darlington
- If approved, it would be the first operating small modular reactor in a G7 country
- A public hearing precedes the decision; the date is not yet announced
A regulatory first
Ontario Power Generation has reached a critical regulatory milestone in Canada's nuclear energy transition, submitting its application for a licence to operate the first BWRX-300 small modular reactor at the Darlington New Nuclear Project.
The application, submitted to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, seeks a 20-year operating licence. If approved, the facility is poised to become the first small modular reactor to operate within a G7 nation — a significant leap for the commercialisation of SMR technology globally. The application also covers an associated low- and intermediate-level waste storage structure.
Regulatory path and public oversight
The CNSC has confirmed receipt of the application and noted that the decision will follow a public hearing, the date of which is yet to be announced. OPG emphasised that the operating licence is a prerequisite for completing the commissioning process and ensuring safe operation once construction concludes.
Why it matters
Darlington is the reference project for the BWRX-300 family worldwide. Utilities from Poland to Tennessee are watching the same design move through licensing, procurement and construction — and an operating licence at Darlington would be the strongest signal yet that the SMR model can deliver, on schedule, inside a G7 regulatory framework.
Questions
- When will the licence decision be made?
- The CNSC will hold a public hearing first; the date has not yet been announced. The operating licence is a prerequisite for completing commissioning once construction concludes.
Sources
- OPG submits operating licence application for Darlington SMR — Ontario Power Generation
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