Canadian uranium producer Cameco is "bullish about the future" thanks to growing interest from around the world in nuclear energy as a reliable, sustainable and low-carbon source of electricity, President and CEO Tim Gitzel said today during the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle forum, which is being held this week by the US Nuclear Energy Institute and World Nuclear Association.

Cameco has announced plans to restart production later this month at its Cigar Lake uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, which was suspended in December last year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Orano Canada said it will resume production at its McClean Lake uranium mill, where ore from Cigar Lake is processed.

Small modular reactors are well-equipped to drive cost-efficient decarbonisation of Canada's heavy industries, research conducted by EnviroEconomics and Navius Research on behalf of the Canadian Nuclear Association has concluded. The research studied the economic and climate implications of employing SMRs in Canada's high-emitting industrial sectors.

Ontario Power Generation's Centre for Canadian Nuclear Sustainability and Moltex Energy are to collaborate on a project to demonstrate the technical viability of recycling used fuel from Candu reactors. OPG is providing CAD1 million (USD800,000) in funding for the project.

Bruce Power has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from its site operations by 2027, building on its previously announced NZ-2050 plan. The company says it is the first nuclear operator in North America to announce such an ambitious commitment.

The Canadian government has announced investments totalling just over CAD56 million (USD45 million) to support the development of small modular reactor research and technology in New Brunswick. The package includes an investment of CAD50.5 million in Moltex Energy Ltd to develop its 300 MW Stable Salt Reactor-Wasteburner. Meanwhile, a new report has underlined the potential economic benefits from SMRs for Canadian provinces.

Achieving net-zero by 2050 for Canada is a "monumental but achievable" objective that will require an all-in commitment, according to a new blueprint issued by SNC-Lavalin. Investment in engineering solutions is needed in every area of low carbon energy production, while power grid reliability, resiliency and effectiveness is key to effectively support electrification of other economic sectors, it finds.

Bruce Power's Major Component Replacement project remains on track despite a two-month delay caused by the pandemic, the company said yesterday as it marked the first anniversary of the start of work at Bruce 6.

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has announced a further CAD20 million (USD16 million) of funding towards the next phase of small modular reactor development in the province. The province is partnering with ARC Clean Energy Canada Inc, which is developing the ARC-100 advanced SMR.

Cameco produced only 5 million pounds U3O8 (1923 tU) in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic but remains positive about the long-term fundamentals in the uranium market, President and CEO Tim Gitzel said today when announcing its fourth-quarter and year-end results.

Denison Mines is to carry out further field testing activities to de-risk the use of in-situ leach methods at the high-grade Phoenix uranium deposit at the Wheeler River Uranium Project in Saskatchewan, Canada. Wheeler River is a joint venture between Denison (90% and operator) and JCU (Canada) Exploration Company Limited (10%), with combined indicated mineral resources of 132.1 million pounds U3O8 (50,812 tU) and inferred resources of 3.0 million pounds U3O8. The project is estimated to have mine production of 109.4 million pounds U3O8 over a 14-year mine life.

The single-unit Grohnde nuclear power plant in Germany has produced more than 400 terawatt hours of electricity since it started up in 1984 - the only reactor to have achieved this milestone. Meanwhile, unit 1 of Canada's Darlington nuclear power plant has set a new world record with 1106 consecutive days of continuous operation.