⚡Canada Supercharges Nuclear

⚡Canada Supercharges Nuclear

The Government of Canada is supercharging its nuclear ambitions by lending up to CAD304 million over four years to AtkinsRéalis—a leading Canadian engineering firm specializing in nuclear reactor technology—to modernize next-generation CANDU designs.

This financing will help develop a 1000 MW CANDU Monark reactor, an evolution of the proven Darlington model, while reinforcing a predominantly Canadian supply chain and creating sustainable, well-paying jobs.

Beyond CANDU, the government is injecting CAD 195 million into nuclear expansion through:

• Future Electricity Fund – Recycling revenue from power generation to fund clean energy projects.

• Enabling SMRs Program – Advancing research and deployment of Small Modular Reactors.

• Electricity Predevelopment Program – Supporting site evaluations and community engagement for SMRs.

Together, these investments underscore Canada’s commitment to a resilient, low-carbon energy future powered by domestically sourced uranium and cutting-edge nuclear innovation.

⚛️Cool Links

📝Securing Full Stack U.S. Leadership in AI
A report sees massive increase in data centre power demand to 90GW (and 2 trillion dollars) by 2030. The many recommendations also suggest DOE to speed up nuclear projects.

⚛️Texas House Files Nuclear Power Blueprint Designed to Facilitate Small Modular Reactor Growth
State Rep. Cody Harris: “The purpose of House Bill 14 is to make Texas the nuclear Capital of the world. The United States must win the nuclear renaissance. It is imperative that the United States become the leader in the development of advanced nuclear technology and the exporter of that technology to the developing world — not Russia or China.”

🛠️ Russia announces it'll build small-scale nuclear power plant in Myanmar
The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for construction of a small nuclear power plant in Myanmar. Rosatom said the plant would have a capacity of 100 megawatts with the possibility of trebling that capacity.

❤️Zimbabwe Joins Other African Nations in Pursuit of Nuclear Power
As demand for power continues to increase due to growing populations and economic expansion, officials in Zimbabwe has announced the country will work with IAEA, to develop a nuclear power program in the country.

💰Uranium Caught in US-Canada Tariff Battle

Uranium has become a flashpoint in the ongoing US-Canada tariff standoff, with potential consequences for American nuclear energy.

The US sources over a quarter of its uranium from Canada, more than any other country, and new 10% tariffs proposed by the Trump administration could drive up prices.

Though the tariffs were paused until April 2nd, Canadian uranium giant Cameco warns that if enacted, prices will rise across the market, as non-tariff suppliers will simply increase their rates.

This could complicate the growing nuclear revival fueled by demand from AI-driven data centers and Big Tech, as well as US efforts to rebuild its domestic uranium industry.

However, with only 1% of global uranium reserves located in the US—compared to Canada’s 10 times larger supply—America will likely remain dependent on imports, making any supply chain disruptions a major issue for energy security.

😎Check Out This Nuclear Shelter Makeover!

A group of unknown graffiti artists has transformed an unsightly air vent for a nuclear shelter in Prague into the Star Wars robot R2-D2.

🐟High-Tech Solution to Protect Fish at Hinkley Point C

At Hinkley Point C in southwest England, EDF is testing an innovative acoustic fish deterrent system to mitigate the environmental impact of its seawater cooling intake.

The plant, which will house two Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR), requires vast amounts of seawater to cool its turbines, a process that could otherwise result in the intake of an estimated 44 tonnes of fish per year.

The new deterrent system uses ceramic transducers to emit targeted high-frequency sound, encouraging fish to move away from intake areas while minimizing disruptions to larger marine mammals like seals and dolphins.

Unlike previous plans that involved creating 840 acres of compensatory saltmarsh habitats—a proposal met with local opposition—this approach avoids flooding farmland and does not require divers for maintenance.

If successful, this system could streamline Hinkley Point C’s environmental approvals and set a new standard for sustainable cooling in nuclear plants.

🕔Carbon-14: How Atoms Unlock Time

This week in Atomic Alternatives, we’re delving into the science behind radiocarbon dating—commonly known as the Carbon‑14 method—a technique for determining the age of organic materials that earned its pioneer, Willard Libby, the Nobel Prize.

This method harnesses the properties of radiocarbon, a radioactive isotope of carbon (¹⁴C).

Cosmic rays continuously generate radiocarbon by interacting with nitrogen in Earth's atmosphere, which then combines with oxygen to form radioactive carbon dioxide.

Plants absorb this radioactive CO₂ through photosynthesis, and animals absorb the radiocarbon by consuming those plants.

When an organism dies, the radiocarbon within it decays at a known rate, with a half‑life of about 5,730 years.

By measuring the remaining radiocarbon, scientists can estimate the time elapsed since death—allowing materials to be dated up to around 50,000 years old.

This breakthrough, hailed as the “radiocarbon revolution,” has transformed archaeology by enabling precise dating of key historical transitions, such as the end of the last ice age and the dawn of the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.

It has not only unlocked secrets of ancient civilizations but also demonstrated the incredible impact of nuclear science in our everyday lives.

😂Meme of the Week

Stay charged, stay curious, and keep glowing.

Fredrik
[email protected]