The Canadian government has selected the Canadian National Energy Alliance (CNEA) as its preferred bidder in to operate and manage Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), Canadian Minister of Natural Resources Greg Rickford said on Friday.
The next stage for this agreement will be the finalization of the contract between the government and CNEA. CNL will continue to fulfill the mandate of its parent company, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), which is nuclear waste management and decommissioning activities.
“Our government is demonstrating support for jobs and growth in nuclear energy by investing in science and technology, advancing trade opportunities and maintaining a world-class safety regime,” Rickford said. “Today’s announcement marks the conclusion of a six-year process enhancing the efficiency and prosperity of the Canadian nuclear industry.”
The restructuring of AECL is a part of a larger effort on the government’s part to strengthen the nuclear energy industry. Previously, the government invested $325 million into the research infrastructure of the CNL facility and opened trading opportunities through modern legislative measures relating to nuclear liability. With these in place, Canada can interact with other growing nuclear energy markets, specifically in India and China.
Rickford said nuclear energy supplies approximately 15 percent of Canada’s electricity and accounts for more than 50 percent of electricity in Ontario.
