Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Amanda Cha and Rudiger Tscherning
Author-Workplace-Name: University of Calgary
Title: Exploring a Coal-to-Nuclear Transition: Repurposing of Legacy Coal Assets to Locate Small Modular Reactors in Alberta
Abstract: Climate change mitigation and the search for alternative energy are spurring a growing interest in repurposing decommissioned coal power plants into sites for small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) which produce minimal greenhouse gas emissions. With power ranging between 10- to 300-megawatt electric, SMRs take up a fraction of the size and have approximately one-third of the generating capacity of a conventional large-scale nuclear reactor. 
Saskatchewan plans to locate its first SMR on the site of a combined coal-fired power station near Estevan, and it is inevitable that SMRs will eventually be proposed for Alberta. These small reactors offer greater efficiency, safety and flexibility of deployment compared to large nuclear plants; however, uncertainty surrounds the regulatory framework that must be in place before any proposals are made to site SMRs in Alberta.
Both the provincial and federal governments have jurisdiction over coal-to-nuclear transition projects and given the current lack of a nuclear regulatory framework in Alberta, this paper discusses the rules, regulations and procedures that will be required for approvals. Instead of building from scratch, repurposing of decommissioned coal-fired power plants using the existing infrastructure — water storage systems, desalination plants and wastewater treatment systems — and improved technology, offers a way to streamline the approval process.
Journal: The School of Public Policy SPP Briefing Papers
Volume: 17
Issue: 11
Year: 2024
Month: August
File-URL: https://www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FMK10.MappingChall-Final.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:clh:briefi:v:17:y:2024:i:11