SaskPower has announced a partner for its Small Modular Reactor (SMR) development.

The Crown corporation announced that it will be teaming up with GE Hitachi to develop plans for licensing and other factors needed to operate the potential power plant.

This partnership seems fated to happen, as SaskPower has settled on using the GE Hitachi BWRX300 as the core technology in its SMR. This partnership will allow SaskPower to closely follow along as the experts behind the SMR offer input on sourcing supplies, grid capabilities, and other factors.

Scott McGregor, media spokesperson for SaskPower, says these considerations will play a major factor in the final decision on whether or not to proceed with the development.  

"It enables us to take that a step further and to get actual technical and detailed specification information about that reactor," said McGregor. "That will help us with our sighting, with our license applications, and just really being able to move our project forward."

The current plan for the SMR is to either build it by Elbow on Lake Diefenbaker, or out by Estevan in the southeast part of the province. Both options will continue to be considered as the GE Hitachi partnership allows them to parse the differences both sites present in actual layout and planning.

"We hope to have our site selection narrowed down to two potential sites within the next few months or so," said McGregor. "Both certainly have their technical merits for sure."

Seeing as nuclear power generation is federally regulated, there are plenty of hopes to keep jumping through before the 300-megawatt facility can even begin breaking earth on construction or land development. The goal is to have reached a decision by 2029 on whether or not these plans will be put into action, or if the obstacles are too much for nuclear energy in Saskatchewan.