OTTAWA — Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Ontario to work toward supplying tritium – a fuel for nuclear fusion – to support the UKAEA’s research and energy development projects.
Sourced from Ontario’s CANDU reactors, tritium is extracted from heavy water during routine CANDU operations, a release describes. As tritium decays, it produces Helium-3, an extremely rare isotope that’s powering breakthroughs in quantum computing and holds promise as a future fuel for fusion reactors.
Tritium supplied by OPG could play a major role in advancing major UKAEA research projects and the UKIFS, including the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production programme, a prototype fusion energy powerplant that’s looking into the commercial viability of fusion technology by the early 2040s.
This announcement comes after Ontario Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce was joined by energy ministers across the country to discuss issues to advance Canadian energy priorities.
Those who attended the summit agreed to continue working together on new opportunities to advance nation-building energy projects between provinces and territories.
Efforts discussed at the summit included:
- Advancing new interprovincial and territorial transmission infrastructure, including key intertie projects.
- Supporting trade within Canada, helping regions meet growing demand and optimize the use of clean energy.
- Progressing nation-building energy projects, such as nuclear builds, renewable, and hydroelectricity builds, pipeline and energy corridor development.
- Engaging Indigenous communities as full partners in energy development.
- Advocating for federal action, including investment, greater speed and regulatory clarity to accelerate national transmission corridors.
Ontario also hosted the minsters for a tour of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station. Ministers were also presented with public opinion data that profiles growing and widespread support for nuclear energy including that 72 per cent of individuals believe across the country their province will need more power in the next 20 years.
