The federal government announced that it would be supporting Saskatchewan's plans for a small modular reactor, but the province says it's not enough.
The federal minister of energy and resources announced on Saturday that $74 million would be invested into the current SMR plan.
When asked for their response, SaskPower returned the following statement:
"Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) can help to decarbonize Canada’s power system while maintaining system reliability. It is a positive sign that the federal government has made a commitment to supporting SMR development in Saskatchewan. This $74 million contribution ($50 million from NRCan’s Electricity Predevelopment Program and $24 million from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Future Electricity Fund) will help fund SaskPower’s SMR planning costs over the next three years. The contribution agreement is currently being finalized by officials."
"The Government of Saskatchewan maintains the expectation that the federal government contribute 75% of the cost of Saskatchewan’s potential first SMR. While this $74 million contribution is welcome, it remains a small fraction of the investment that will be required for SaskPower to meet the federal government’s Clean Electricity Regulations. Significant financial support from the federal government is required for Saskatchewan to transition while maintaining a reliable electricity system, meeting the needs of a growing economy, and keeping rates as affordable as possible."
Current plans for the province regarding SaskPower include choosing a site, either Elbow or Estevan, for the reactor sometime in 2025.
SaskPower would then prepare an impact assessment, a license to prepare the site, and a final decision on whether or not to build an SMR in 2029.