Read the full article at the SaskToday. Excerpt below:
“Nuclear power emits no greenhouse gasses, produces baseload power – meaning its power does not risk dropping off like a weather-dependent power source, such as wind. It doesn’t require a fossil fuel backup or use expensive storage options,” says Situm, an engineering assistant professor. And while SMRs produce waste – like other power sources – the volume is very small when compared with the energy generated. But, unlike other power sources, all waste from nuclear reactors is captured and safely contained.
Now, with more than $1.3 million in support from a partnership between the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), figuring out strategies to safely manage that waste is precisely what Situm and his team are working on. Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and SaskPower are also part of this research project.
“The federal government is committed to building a net-zero economy that provides clean electricity, economic growth, and good jobs for all Canadians. This means more economic opportunities in the energy sector for provinces such as Saskatchewan, which are exploring nuclear energy as a possible source to power its grid. Nuclear research and training at universities such as the University of Regina will help make new nuclear jurisdictions such as Saskatchewan successful. I congratulate Dr. Situm for his role in advancing this exciting work,” says the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.
Situm says that the goal of the project is to develop strategies to manage the radioactive waste produced by the SMRs that may be deployed in Saskatchewan. He says waste management from SMRs consists of creating and implementing plans for managing the generation, collection, transport, and storage of the waste.