The Ontario government has secured an investment of $70 million from GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy to build the world’s first BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor (SMR) engineering and service centre in Durham Region near the Darlington New Nuclear Project site.

Once complete, the new facility will create new opportunities for workers in engineering, science, construction and other skilled trades to find good-paying jobs in the face of economic uncertainty.

It will create more than 300 jobs in the region Durham Region, while its training facilities will help more than 2,000 people per year acquire the skills they need for successful careers as experts on nuclear innovation and operations, further expanding Canada’s homegrown nuclear energy workforce.

“The Canadian BWRX-300 Engineering and Service Centre will bolster Ontario’s position as a nuclear leader and further cultivate Canada’s nuclear energy workforce with an industry-leading training ecosystem,” said Heather Chalmers, President & CEO, GE Vernova Canada. “This Ontario-based hub will provide the province with continued access to the best and brightest talent and innovation in the nuclear energy industry while complementing global efforts for deploying the BWRX-300.”

In addition to the new engineering and service centre, the Darlington New Nuclear Project will create and sustain 3,700 jobs during the construction and long-term operation of its four SMRs. The project will contribute $38.5 billion to Ontario’s GDP over 65 years, with 80 percent of project spending going to Ontario companies.

Once complete, the four SMRs will produce 1,200 megawatts of electricity, or enough energy to power 1.2 million homes.

The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) has concluded that the SMRs at Darlington are the best option to meet growing energy demand in terms of cost and risks, when compared against non-emitting generation alternatives.

According to the IESO, the province would need to build up to 8,900 MW of wind and solar paired with battery storage to replace the output of four SMRs. The IESO also concluded this alternative approach would carry significant risks including significant land requirements and the need for large scale transmission build out.

A Conference Board of Canada study estimates the construction of four SMRs will create 18,000 Canadian jobs and inject $500 million on average annually into Ontario’s economy.