NYPA, Ontario Power Generation Collaborating on SMRs and Traditional Nuclear
The state of New York’s biggest public electric utility and a Canadian power generator are the latest power partners collaborating on next-gen nuclear technologies such as small modular reactors (SMR).
The memorandum of understanding on jointly developing SMR and advanced reactor projects between the New York Power Authority and Ontario Power generation was announced by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. It includes provisions for sharing technical expertise, examining nuclear project financing and economics, and supporting workforce development tied to future nuclear facilities.
“This first-of-its-kind agreement represents a bold step forward in our pursuit of a clean energy future,” Gov. Hochul said in a statement. “By partnering with Ontario Power Generation and its extensive nuclear experience, New York is positioning itself at the forefront of advanced nuclear technology deployment, ensuring safe, reliable, affordable and carbon-free energy that supports good-paying jobs for generations to come.”
Under the memorandum, the New York Power Authority, a state-owned public power utility, and Ontario Power Generation, a provincially owned electricity producer, will also explore opportunities to expand electricity trade between Ontario and New York to improve grid reliability and reduce emissions.
Canadian Premier Doug Ford said the partnership builds on Ontario’s experience in nuclear development and reflects a shared interest in long-term energy planning between the neighboring jurisdictions.
Starting next year, NYPA and OPG will form a joint working group to oversee implementation of the agreement. Nuclear reactors generate carbon-free power and currently account for slightly less than 20% of the utility-scale electricity resource mix in both Canada and the United States.
Both countries are working on multiple collaborations to eventually build SMR plants and perhaps even nuclear microgrids, while also expanding conventional utility-scale reactor plants to deal with the growth of demand by new cloud-based computing, artificial intelligence, industrial automation and electrification.
OPG operates Pickering and Darlington nuclear power plants in Ontario. New York's nuclear power capacity totals more than 3 GW or close to 20% of the state's electricity mix.
The move to revive the nuclear portion of electricity generation has drawn strong support from the Trump Administration, as well as digital and industrial firms such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, Meta and Dow.
About the Author
EnergyTech Staff
Rod Walton is head of content for EnergyTech.com. He has spent 17 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist.
Walton formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.
He can be reached at [email protected].
EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids.
Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.