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Ottawa and Ontario Commit $3 Billion to Darlington Small Modular Reactors

The Canada Growth Fund’s undisclosed equity stake signals federal buy‑in for a first‑of‑its‑kind BWRX‑300 now under construction toward service around 2030.

Overview

  • Public funding totals $3 billion, with $2 billion from the Canada Growth Fund and $1 billion from Ontario’s Building Ontario Fund, and the federal fund taking an equity position with terms not disclosed.
  • Ontario Power Generation has begun building the first of four GE Hitachi BWRX‑300 units at the Darlington site, with the initial reactor targeted to connect to the grid around 2030.
  • The planned four‑reactor fleet is projected to generate about 1,200 megawatts, which governments say is enough to power approximately 1.2 million homes.
  • Earlier estimates put total project costs near $20.9 billion, including about $7.7 billion for the first reactor, with OPG remaining the majority owner and operator.
  • Officials tout economic gains such as 18,000 construction jobs, 3,700 permanent positions and $500 million in annual supply‑chain activity, while critics question costs, U.S. supplier reliance and long‑term waste management; Nova Scotia signed an information‑sharing MOU without funding or near‑term plans to build.