Canada’s Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has announced the selection of key companies for the design, construction, and long-term management of the country’s first deep geological repository for spent nuclear fuel. The project, estimated at $3.2 billion, will be located in northwestern Ontario, about 200 kilometers northwest of Lake Superior.
The chosen EPC Companies includes:
- WSP (Montreal) – Design and engineering
- Kiewit (Canada unit) – Above-ground construction
- Hatch Ltd. (Mississauga) – Underground mine and waste rock management
- Thyssen Mining (Saskatchewan) – Design and sinking of three underground shafts
- Kinectrics Inc. (Toronto) – Nuclear operations management and quality control
The repository will be built 2,100 to 2,600 feet underground and will use engineered and natural barriers to safely store used nuclear fuel. The project will follow an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) model, with design work set to finish by 2028, construction starting in 2033, and operations expected to begin in 2045, pending regulatory approvals.
The site was selected in 2023 after a nearly 15-year search, and it sits on tribal land. The NWMO was established by Ontario Power Generation, Hydro-Québec, and New Brunswick Power to find a long-term solution to replace temporary spent fuel storage at nuclear sites.
“This project will solve an environmental issue and supports Canada’s climate change goals,” said NWMO President and CEO Laurie Swami.
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