OGP’s first SMR hit construction milestone

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has completed a major heavy lift at the Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) in Canada, marking another milestone in the construction of what is set to become the first small modular reactor (SMR) in the G7.

On April 22, a heavy-duty crawler crane installed the nearly 952-tonne basemat module into the reactor building shaft, 35 m below ground. Measuring 37 m in diameter, the basemat forms the common foundation for the integrated reactor building and containment structure.

The lift also marked the first time in Canada that a reactor building foundation has been assembled in a modular fashion. The component was fabricated, welded and fully assembled as a single unit prior to installation.

The basemat incorporates a modular steel-concrete construction material designed to support accelerated project execution. With the foundation now in place, work will progress on the build-out of the first SMR unit.

Several other milestones have also been achieved at the DNNP this year, including the completion of all shaft excavation works. Two shafts will support construction of the deep-water intake serving the four planned SMRs, while the third forms the foundation for the first unit.

The project has also completed two new warehouse facilities, providing storage and laydown space equivalent to around one-and-a-half football fields.

In late March, OPG submitted its application for a Licence to Operate the first SMR unit to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

“Reaching these milestones speaks to the momentum we’re building from the way we work together,” said Boris Vulanovic, OPG’s senior vice president of SMR Execution. “Our continued focus on safety, quality and continuous improvement ensures the project is moving forward, and positions us well for the next phase of work.”