By: Carol Baldwin,
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
The Government of Saskatchewan is advancing nuclear power as a central component of the province’s commitment to long-term energy security and economic growth, states its newest release, Delivering Energy Security Through Nuclear Power. The document outlines the province’s next steps toward a nuclear future and supplements the Saskatchewan First Energy Security Strategy and Supply Plan.
The plan sets a nuclear power production goal of at least 2,600 megawatts (MW) by 2050, ensuring Saskatchewan has the reliable, affordable and secure electricity needed to support a growing population, expanding industries, major investment projects, resource development, and value-added manufacturing.
“Reliable, affordable power is essential for Saskatchewan families to thrive and for businesses and communities to grow,” Premier Scott Moe said in the government release.
Through the experience gained during the journey to the deployment of small modular reactors, Saskatchewan has completed substantial work needed to prepare for nuclear development. This includes the key areas of public and Indigenous engagement; siting and technical assessment; regulatory readiness; governance and institutional capacity; transmission and grid integration; and workforce, supply chain and partnerships. As the province continues to grow and attract investment, long-term planning is required to ensure electricity supply keeps pace with future demand.
Nuclear energy, the government concluded, will provide a reliable source of non-emitting baseload electricity that strengthens grid reliability, supports energy security and meets growing demand, while complementing Saskatchewan’s diverse electricity mix, including coal, wind, solar, hydro, natural gas, energy storage and efficiency measures, ensuring the province has dependable and affordable power.
The September 29th press release confirmed that SaskPower will begin planning for the potential development of two large nuclear reactors, the first of which is expected to be online by 2042, in northwest Saskatchewan, with an initial goal of generating more than 2,000 MW, in addition to the SMR currently being considered for deployment at the Rafferty Dam location near Estevan. In April 2026, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Government of Saskatchewan and Bruce Power, to access the company’s expertise in nuclear generation, project development, and long-term operations.
Historically, the Cluff Lake Board of Inquiry in 1976 recommended that Saskatchewan expand the development of uranium production, but restrict the province’s role to uranium mining, and not enter into processing or nuclear power development.
A November 2020 policy brief authored by Hulbert and Eisler for the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS) concluded that two factors have inhibited any move towards nuclear power production. One is the cost and feasibility of contemporary reactors, and the other is the sharply divided public opinion on nuclear power. The authors also identified a continuing need for public dialogue, especially surrounding innovation and economic development, including fuel enrichment, waste management, manufacturing/fabricating components along supply chains, and value-added processing. (https://www.schoolofpublicpolicy.sk.ca/research-ideas/publications-and-policy-insight/policy-brief/are-small-modular-nuclear-reactors-in-saskatchewans-future.php)
The concern about cost has been on the minds of the public since the early 2000s, when Angela Hall reported in the Leader Post, dated September 15, 2009, that concerns about health, safety, environmental impacts and financial costs were highlighted in the Perrin Report.
When asked about funding, the Premier stated that “The dollars invested in a facility like this change over time as there is more being built. The goal is for the investment dollars to decrease at a larger rate than inflation is happening. That’s why there’s no dollars invested in this.”
Minister of Crown Investments Corporation and other Crown Corporations Jeremy Harrison says funding this project could include private sector financing.