Overview
Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI) is an association of more than 220 Canadian-based companies that supply equipment and services to the domestic and offshore nuclear industries. OCNI member companies employ more than 15,000 highly skilled and specialized engineers, technologists, and trades people. OCNI companies will have a key role in constructing and supplying components for SMRs in Canada and in offshore markets. OCNI therefore strongly supports the SMR Action Plan and will work closely with all SMR vendors, governments and other stakeholders in enabling Canada, to play a leading role in the deployment of SMRs to provide clean, sustainable power, and a prosperous economy.
OCNI Commitment and Vision
- OCNI commits to the Statement of Principles for Canadian leadership in SMR deployment.
- OCNI’s Vision is to “lead and strengthen a thriving Canadian nuclear supply chain”. Canadian leadership in SMR demonstration and deployment within Canada and in offshore markets will bring significant engineering and component fabrication contracts to OCNI member companies.”
- OCNI’s role in the SMR ecosystem is to ensure that the Canadian nuclear suppliers become major partners in a pan-Canadian and worldwide SMR fleet by demonstrating cost-effective and high-quality fabrication of SMR and vSMR components. OCNI will participate as part of a “Team Canada” SMR Team working collaboratively to achieve Canadian SMR leadership at home and abroad.
- OCNI’s vision for SMRs is that by early demonstration of the economic and environmental viability both on-grid and off-grid SMRs Canada will gain an early and stable foothold as a leader in the worldwide deployment of SMRs for a variety of energy-related applications.
- In order to achieve the “first out of the gate” leadership position the Canadian nuclear industry must work effectively with various federal, provincial, and territorial governments in deploying on-grid and off-grid SMRs in Canada by 2028 – Canada’s “moonshot”.
- A successful Canadian SMR program must include federal and provincial government incentives for early deployment of SMRs in Ontario, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan will create new engineering, analysis, manufacturing, and construction jobs to support Canada’s economic recovery from COVID-19.
- The deployment of vSMRs in remote communities to replace diesel generators, often with fuel transported by air, will contribute to realizing Canada’s goal of Net Zero GHG Emissions by 2050 while providing clean, lower cost, sustainable power, and a self-sustaining prosperous economy.
- The creation of a strong Canadian-based SMR supply chain will maximize Canadian self-sufficiency for this new energy source – a lesson learned during COVID-19 crisis when Canada was vulnerable through its dependence on imported PPE.
- OCNI supports setting the goal for SMRs deployed in Canada at >80% Canadian content and offshore SMRs based on FOAK deployment in Canada at > 50% Canadian content.
- OCNI will engage with SMR vendors and operators in promoting the coupling of SMRs with hydrogen production technologies enabling SMRs to become a key part of the wider global clean energy system – beyond just electricity generation.
- OCNI and member companies will engage with SMR vendors, project developers and operators and adapting SMRs to price life-saving medical isotopes.
- Consistent with urgent SMR deployment timelines, OCNI will work with Indigenous communities and educational institutions to recruit and train a new generation of Indigenous youth and young women with the skills to work in Canada’s new SMR industry.
- OCNI will support and the mid-term deployment of advanced SMRs in New Brunswick and beyond that are able to recycle a portion of Canada’s inventory of used CANDU fuel thereby minimizing the generation of nuclear waste and reducing a common public concern of nuclear power. OCNI support includes helping to develop a robust New Brunswick based supply chain, working with provincial. federal and local partners in spear-heading a “nuclear ready” skills training program, focusing on Canada’s Indigenous peoples, youth and women.
ACTIONS
DEMONSTRATION & DEPLOYMENT
Develop a Pan-Canadian SMR Supply Chain
STATUS: IN PROGRESS
OCN01
Responds to SMR Roadmap recommendation(s): 37
ACTION
OCNI has organized Supplier Forum webinars, May to September 2020, with 10 SMR vendors in three Streams to inform and connect suppliers with the SMR vendors and facilitate their participation in the vendor supply chains for both domestic and offshore SMR installations:
- Stream One (on grid): five SMR vendors
- Stream Two (on grid advanced): two SMR vendors
- Steam Three (resource extraction/remote communities): three vSMR vendors
EXPECTED RESULTS
Canadian nuclear suppliers will partner with SMR vendors in constructing a fleet of SMRs in Canada and in offshore markets.
Engagement of the Canadian supply chain in SMR demo’s and FOAK projects in Canada enables the Canadian SMR Roadmap goal in making Canada a leading hub for the $150B worldwide SMR market.
ACTION
OCNI drafted an RFP for a consultant(s) to evaluate the capabilities of the Canadian supply chain to supply components and services for Stream One grid scale SMRs to be deployed at the Darlington Site and possibly in Saskatchewan. The project study would also identify parts of the Canadian nuclear supply chain would need to “retool” in order to supply unique and high precision components required by the selected Stream one SMR designs. The RFP would be issued after selection of two or three SMR designs for more detailed evaluation by OPG SMR Procurement Team to inform the final selection based on degree of supply chain readiness vs retooling requirements. A funding source for this project has not been confirmed.
EXPECTED RESULTS
The selection of vendor(s) for Stream One grid scale SMR deployments in Ontario and Saskatchewan will result in maximum Canadian content for their SMR’s deployed domestically and in offshore markets.
DEMONSTRATION & DEPLOYMENT
Promote Use of Advanced Manufacturing Methods to Reduce SMR Costs
STATUS: IN PROGRESS
OCN02
Responds to SMR Roadmap recommendation(s): 38
ACTION
OCNI participates on the CSA Advanced Manufacturing (AM) Task Force with a mandate to define drivers and barriers in using AM technologies in the fabrication of both pressure boundary and non-pressure boundary nuclear components and to project the timeframe in which AM methods will begin to be used. The CSA AM Task Force will also provide documented guidance to support industry (utilities and suppliers) in applying AM technologies and identify any current barriers (e.g., lack of standards, licensing challenges or technical barriers). OCNI is working with COG, CSA, and UNENE to support AM R&D, OPEX sharing.
OCNI organized an AM Workshop in London on March 5, 2020 at which UK and Canadian experts shared experience in developing and deploying advanced manufacturing (AM) technologies on nuclear projects to reduce cost and shorten schedule. UK and Canadian manufacturers shared best practices and discuss opportunities for collaboration. The workshop promoted dialogue and laid the foundation for follow-up discussions, visits and exchanges among all participants. It is clear that AM technologies can play a role in replacing obsolete components in older NPPs and reducing the cost/schedule for deployment of SMRs.
OCNI organized a one-day Advanced Manufacturing (AM) Seminar in April 2019 to familiarize Canadian nuclear suppliers with the state of the art in AM and encourage implementation those AM technologies to reduce cost and shorten timelines for fabrication of SMR components. A follow-up two half-day Advanced Manufacturing Forum was held on November 10 and 11, 2020 to dive more deeply into advances in AM deployment, challenges as seen by SMR developers, and status of AM standards and regulatory approvals.
OCNI has formed an Advanced Manufacturing (AM) Implementation Strategy Committee (see AM Committee Mandate below) of several fabricator as well as AM experts to advise nuclear suppliers on which AM technologies and methods hold the most promise for lower cost fabrication of SMR components.
OCNI Advanced Manufacturing Implementation Strategy Team - Mandate
- Support the OCNI CEO in developing strategies and programs for cost-effective implementation of specific Advanced Manufacturing (AM) technologies and methods by Canadian nuclear component fabricators for reverse engineering and fabrication of obsolete nuclear componnets and lower cost and faster fabrication of SMR components.
- Identity funding programs that can be used to mitigate the retooling costs associated with adoption of new AM production lines at nuclear component fabricators.
- Identify any regulatory hurdles that must be overcome for use of AM methods to fabricate (and install) nuclear pressure boundary components.
- Maintain a watching brief on emerging AM technologies and share with nuclear component fabricators.
Collect and review AM OPEX to be shared with the nuclear component fabricators.
EXPECTED RESULTS
Canadian suppliers implement Advanced Manufacturing technologies in a cost effective manner to reduce SMR component fabrication costs and shorten project schedules for SMRs and vSMRs – thereby enabling deployment of a fleet of SMRs for both on-grid and off-grid applications as a cost-effective solution as part of a clean energy system that helps Canada and other countries achieve “net-zero” GHG emissions 2050.
DEMONSTRATION & DEPLOYMENT
Promote SMR Work Force Diversity and Indigenous Engagement
STATUS: IN PROGRESS
OCN03
Responds to SMR Roadmap recommendation(s): 39
ACTION
OCNI has formed a Board-level “Equal by 30” Team with a mandate to encourage young woman to seek careers in the nuclear industry and the nuclear supply chain specifically. OCNI has also signed on to the NRCan-led “Equal by 30” program.
OCNI has formed a Board-level Indigenous Engagement Committee (IEC) and has prepared a three-year Indigenous Engagement Program with a mandate to attract and train Indigenous peoples for careers in the Canadian nuclear industry and create a cohort of skilled Indigenous workers to participate on SMR projects across Canada and especially at sites adjacent to Indigenous communities. The IEC will also encourage Indigenous -owned businesses to enter the nuclear supply chain to work on SMR projects.
OCNI has developed a “Nuclear Ready” program proposal and is seeking funding from government agencies to help implement this program that would recruit women, youth, and Indigenous persons and provide basic training in eight modules to ensure that the recruits have basic nuclear knowledge to enable their a smooth transition into the nuclear workforce.
OCNI signed an MOU with the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Businesses (CCAB) on June 26, 2020 through which OCNI will work with CCAB in creating opportunities for Indigenous-owned businesses to enter the nuclear supply chain.
EXPECTED RESULTS
Canadian SMR and vSMR supply chain companies are underpinned by a new generation of engineers, technologists, and skilled trades people with equal participation by women and significant involvement of Indigenous peoples - especially within the off-grid SMRs deployed near Indigenous communities.