RC108 SeptOct2023 - Magazine - Page 33
Ontario Power
Generation announced
that Unit 3 at
Darlington Nuclear
Generating Station
has been reconnected
to the province’s
electricity grid.
GWTTY
OPG
IMAGES
This investment is a step in the right direction. SMRs
are considerably more manageable to scale than large
nuclear-powered electric grids. As the name suggests,
they are much smaller—meaning their footprint will take
up less land than other power plants, and it will also be
much easier to install and operate SMR sites across the
nation, particularly in remote locations. All of this translates into less costs for utilities—and more affordable and
widely available clean energy for Canadians.
Digital before physical
Despite the progress being made in Ontario, many
utilities outside of this province have not scaled their
nuclear adoption programs. Concerns over the costs and
operational challenges of upgrading transmission and
distribution systems have caused leaders to pause. But
there are tactics they can, and must, turn to in order to
progress the transition to nuclear energy—and ultimately
help accelerate Canada’s net zero ambitions. For instance,
utility leaders will need to consider that operating an
SMR unit is very different than a large nuclear unit. They
must decide if they’ll embed the new SMR business
operating model within their existing business operating
models. Leaders will also have to ask themselves: what
are their make, buy and borrow strategies across their
supply chain, which SMR technology will they use, and
how will they implement a sustainable approach for
handling waste.
That said, the backbone of nuclear energy transition
agendas and nationwide SMR rollouts is first and
foremost digital. Utilities will turn to digital twins to
create virtual replicas of their proposed, physical SMRs.
This digital simulation helps enterprises build plants and
upgrade grid systems without the fear of wasting time
and money on failed plans.
However, when implementing a digital twin,
RENEWCANADA.NET
utilities must remember it is not merely an IT project,
but rather a business transformation initiative. And
an effective business transformation initiative requires
organization-wide support. Ramping up digital
twin programs will require enterprises to develop a
clear roadmap and project management governance,
ensuring efficiency and digital continuity across
systems and processes. Once this foundation has
been established, many utilities will need to turn their
attention to their data governance structures, which
may not be equipped to enable digital twins. To ensure
the solution is truly a replica of their proposed SMR,
they will need to feed the digital twin with accurate
data, and this can only be done with a pragmatic
approach to data collection.
Once utilities establish their business models in light
of SMR plans and prioritize digital solutions to help
spur their initiatives, Canada will see SMR rollouts in
numerous provinces. But the time to act is now.
It’s not if, but when
The convergence of international decarbonization
commitments and consumers’ growing demand for
clean, cost-effective energy in Canada is already forcing
the utility sector to increasingly adopt renewable energy
sources and scale intelligent operations. It’s only a matter
of time until the entire country is fueled, in some way,
shape, or form, by nuclear energy. Canadian utilities
must continue to propel the nuclear adoption plans
forward, looking towards government funding and
digital solutions to ease cost burdens and remain relevant
in today’s competitive market.
We’ve already done so much as a country, but now
is not the time to rest on our laurels. We have a long
road ahead to achieve net-zero, and 2050 is quickly
approaching.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 – RENEW CANADA 33
