Calgary-based start-up Nucleon Energy and ARC Clean Technology Canada have established NuARC, a partnership focused on the development and deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) using ARC’s advanced SMR technology with an initial focus on Alberta, Canada.
ARC has completed Phase 2 of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) Vendor Design Review (VDR) for its ARC-100 SMR, a 100 MWe integrated sodium-cooled fast reactor with a metallic uranium alloy core. The design is based on the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) fast reactor prototype which operated at the USA’s Argonne National Laboratory from 1961 to 1994. ARC Nuclear signed an agreement with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy in March 2017 to collaborate on the development and licensing of an SMR using proprietary technology from GEH’s PRISM reactor, which is also based on the EBR-II.
In May, ARC and Nucleon signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore the potential deployment of the ARC’s technology at combined heat and power and power generation sites under development by Nucleon in Alberta, Canada and Texas. The MOU established a framework for both companies to move toward a long-term commercial partnership, with the potential deployment of multiple ARC-100 units across North America.
Nucleon Energy is a clean energy project developer focused on delivering integrated, dispatchable energy solutions across North America. The company is currently advancing cogeneration and electricity-only sites at several locations in Canada and the United States to serve the needs of power grids and industrial consumers with next-generation, low-carbon technologies.
The partnership will leverage Nucleon’s site locations in key areas, including Alberta, where ARC’s advanced reactors could support electricity demand growth, industrial heat requirements, and the production of medical isotopes.
“Our partnership with ARC Clean Technology marks a major step forward for private-sector nuclear development,” said Nucleon Energy CEO Dustin Wilkes. “By combining Nucleon’s project development and operating expertise with ARC’s advanced Generation IV technology, we can accelerate deployment of clean, reliable power while driving economic growth and energy security. Together with ARC, we’re proving that private enterprise can lead the next wave of nuclear development in North America.”
ARC Vice President for Commercialisation and Strategy Lance Clarke noted: “The formation of NuARC is the culmination of a shared vision to make advanced, non-emitting nuclear energy a cornerstone of the future energy mix. Our reactor technology is designed for safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. The modular design of the ARC-100 allows for streamlined construction, and its ability to deliver industrial heat and medical isotopes unlocks incredible value for communities and industries. We are thrilled to partner with Nucleon to bring this clean energy solution to new markets.”
ARC is collaborating with senior leadership and the Advanced Reactor Development (ARD) team at NB Power with an ambitious timeline to deploy the ARC reactor at the Point Lepreau site by 2030. However, the reactor is still in the design stage. ARC’s website has details about the EBR-II but nothing of any substance about the ARC technology.
The website references four “published” papers, again theoretical studies, three of which were presentations at the 42nd Annual Conference of the Canadian Nuclear Society and 47th Annual CNS/CNA Student Conference in June 2023. The fourth one does not indicate where it was published. It seems unlikely that a complex sodium-cooled fast reactor will be able to go from design to deployment in five years. The world’s only commercial sodium-cooled fast reactors, which are operating in Russia, were developed over decades.
