The Media Room
2011/57 (b)
Backgrounder
Government Funding for AECL Commercial Activities
Since 1952, with the creation of AECL as a Crown corporation, the Government of Canada has supported and invested in nuclear research and development and the establishment of a Canadian-made commercial nuclear reactor industry.
Over the last five years, AECL has received approximately $2.5 billion from the Government of Canada. This includes $1.2 billion for support and development of its commercial activities under the CANDU Reactor Division.
The Government of Canada’s support for AECL’s commercial activities has preserved value in the corporation and the potential for the future of the Canada’s CANDU-based nuclear industry.
Life-Extension Projects
In addition to the new reactor business, AECL also entered into the reactor life-extension business as of 2005, signing five contracts for life-extension projects in New Brunswick (Point Lepreau, 2005), Ontario (Bruce Units 1 and 2, 2005), South Korea (Wolsong Unit 1, 2006) and Quebec (Gentilly 2 – refurbishment and retubing, 2008).
The first life-extension projects encountered technical and schedule problems, resulting in increased costs for AECL. As its sole shareholder, the Government of Canada has provided substantial financial support to allow AECL to honour the contracts and complete its work on these projects.
Funding since 2005–06 to date for life-extension projects and other related commercial operational requirements has totalled $855 million.
New Reactor Development
The Government also continued to fund AECL’s reactor technology development projects. These new and advanced CANDU reactors include both the Advanced CANDU Reactor (ACR) and the Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6).
Government funding for reactor development projects totalled $476 million since 2003–04.
Annex - AECL Funding since 1952 (in as-spent dollars)
Julie Di Mambro
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister
Natural Resources Canada
Ottawa
613-996-2007
or
Media Relations
Natural Resources Canada
Ottawa
613-992-4447
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