Advanced CANDU reactions: status and future plans

The CANDU Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors have a proven record of safe, reliable, and economic performance which compares favorably with other proven reactor types such as light water reactors. CANDUs have over 200 reactor years of safe and successful commercial operation. Multiple unit stations provide much of the power for the Province of Ontario, and single unit stations are in operation in Quebec, New Brunswick, Korea and Argentina. Additional plants are under construction in Korea and Romania. AECL is completing the design of an advanced evolutionary CANDU, known as CANDU-3, with a nominal rating of 450 MWe. This plant has improved reliability, safety, and operability features, and has major improvements in constructability, with the result that economics compare favorably with other nuclear and fossil alternatives. Detailed design of the CANDU-3 is 75 percent complete (the Province of Saskatchewan is sharing in the funding of the design) and Canada's Atomic Energy Control Board is performing regulatory review. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has begun to evaluate the design in anticipation of Design Certification. Larger sized advanced CANDU plants are also under development at AECL.