NEA delegation members at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada conference.
The NEA delegation visited key uranium production facilities and discussed implications for small modular reactors (SMRs) in early March 2025.
The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and the Canadian Association of Small Modular Reactors (CASMR) hosted a side event on "Powering the Future: SMRs, Nuclear Fuel, and Decarbonizing the Mining Sector" at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) 2025 Convention in Toronto, Canada, on 3 March 2025.
At the event, the NEA colleagues presented the recent NEA publications: SMRs for Mining: Opportunities and Challenges for Small Modular Reactors, Uranium: Resources, Production and Demand (Red Book) and High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium: Drivers, Implications and Security of Supply.
This was followed by an NEA-moderated panel discussion on how the nuclear fuel cycle, particularly enrichment processes, are a critical enabler for SMRs and other advanced reactors. Discussion also provided insights on key challenges such as procurement and the security of reliable fuel sources, innovation in enrichment and the role of early preparation in supporting the successful and rapid deployment of SMRs and other advanced nuclear technologies.
Panellists included:
- Dale Austin, Director, Government Relations, Cameco Corporation
- Adam Engdahl, VP Community, NexGen Energy
- Christian Polak, Strategic Advisor (Chair of the NEA/IAEA Uranium Group), Orano
- Amir Vexler, President and CEO, Centrus Energy
High-level participation and keynote speeches from Provincial Energy and Resources Ministers, including Brian Jean (Alberta), Stephen Lecce (Ontario) and Rene Legacy (New Brunswick) opened a panel discussion moderated by Pam Schwann (Saskatchewan Mining Association). During the discussion, panelists John Gorman (Westinghouse Canada), Tracey Primeau (OPG Board Member) and Norm Sawyer (ION Nuclear Consulting) explored the transformative potential of SMRs in decarbonizing the mining sector.
Clockwise from left: Provincial Energy and Resources Ministers Brian Jean (Alberta), Stephen Lecce (Ontario) and Rene Legacy (New Brunswick) spoke at the side event.
Following the conference, the NEA delegation also visited Cigar Lake Mine and two other nuclear facilities operated by Cameco. Cigar Lake Mine is jointly owned by Cameco (54.547%), Orano Canada (40.453%), and TEPCO Resources (5%). Cigar Lake Mine is one of the world’s highest-grade uranium mines, representing a globally significant source of uranium. As such, Cigar Lake plays an important role in global nuclear fuel supply chains.
Colleagues in the Cigar Lake Mine, a major source of global uranium supply.
Additionally, the group also visited the Cameco conversion facility. Conversion processes are a part of the nuclear fuel cycle where mined uranium is converted to uranium hexafluoride (UF₆) for enrichment and uranium dioxide (UO₂) for Canada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactor fuel. They also toured a fuel fabrication facility, where uranium dioxide is processed into fuel pellets and assembled into fuel bundles for CANDU reactors.
NEA colleagues with a fuel bundle like those used in CANDU reactors.
These visits provided valuable insights into Canada’s uranium production and fuel cycle infrastructure, reinforcing the importance of a robust and secure supply chain for nuclear energy.
