Canada’s New Nuclear Reactors Rely on Foreign Fuel

Canada’s planned nuclear expansion relies on foreign suppliers in the United States, Britain, and France to enrich and fabricate reactor fuel, marking a sharp break from the domestic supply chain model established by the historic Candu reactor system. Ontario Power Generation expects the first Darlington small modular reactor to connect to the grid by the end of 2030, even as experts warn the import dependency exposes the country to new geopolitical risks.

Darlington New Nuclear Project Relies on Foreign Enrichment

Ontario has started building the first of four planned BWRX-300 small modular reactors at the Darlington New Nuclear Project in Clarington, Ont. Unlike domestic Candu reactors that run on natural uranium without enrichment, the American-Japanese-designed light water reactor requires low-enriched uranium. Saskatoon-based Cameco will mine the uranium ore in Saskatchewan and convert it in Port Hope, Ont., but the material must travel to the United States for enrichment. According to Ontario Power Generation, France’s Orano and Britain’s Urenco are also listed as suppliers of enriched uranium, while an American company will manufacture the finished fuel assemblies.

This setup reverses the foundational logic of Canada’s nuclear program. A 1993 Library of Parliament background paper noted that Candu was specifically created to design a reactor tailored to Canadian circumstances, using natural uranium to avoid the difficult and expensive process of enrichment or dependence on foreign sources. Mark Winfield, a professor at York University who studies sustainable energy, climate change and energy policy, stated that relying on imported enriched uranium gives foreign governments the ability to disrupt the supply during a political dispute.

Why Ontario Chose Global SMR Technology

Provincial Energy Minister Stephen Lecce explained during a news conference in Nanticoke, Ont., that the province went global because no Canadian alternative was ready to generate electricity at the required scale. Ontario selected the BWRX-300 because it represents an advanced option offering the best chance to reduce risks for a first-of-its-kind build. While Canada has a new domestic reactor under development—the Candu Monark—it is not an SMR and remains under assessment by Canada’s nuclear regulator.

Winfield acknowledged that utilizing multiple enrichment suppliers reduces disruption risks, but he cautioned that every facility remains outside Canada. He warned that the arrangement leaves the country vulnerable if the United States decides to leverage its uranium supply. Natural Resources Canada countered that the four planned Darlington units will require a very small, modest amount of enriched fuel compared to the global market, presenting no significant supply risk in the short to medium term.

Evaluating the Costs and G7 First-Mover Status

When the Darlington facility comes online, it will stand as the first SMR in the G7. M.V. Ramana, a University of British Columbia professor who studies nuclear energy and international security, argued that being first is not necessarily an advantage given that nuclear power and SMRs remain expensive. SMRs sacrifice economies of scale, though GE Vernova maintains that the BWRX-300 reduces equipment needs through gravity-driven emergency cooling and natural water circulation.

Eliminating foreign reliance entirely would require Canada to build its own domestic uranium-enrichment industry. Lecce noted that Ontario remains open to discussions, but any commercial enrichment decision rests with the federal government. Natural Resources Canada announced plans to create a Nuclear Fuels Table with provinces and industry partners to evaluate future needs, though no formal decision on domestic enrichment has been made.

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