US and Canadian regulators select SMR for joint review

This follows the signature by CNSC President Rumina Velshi and NRC Chairman Christine Svinicki in August of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) to expand the agencies' cooperation on activities associated with advanced reactor and SMR technologies. Both regulators are already carrying out regulatory activities related to proposed SMR projects. The MOC's collaborative technical reviews are intended to increase regulatory effectiveness as well as reaffirm the agencies' commitment to safety and security.

Terrestrial Energy CEO Simon Irish said: "We look forward to participating in joint CNSC and NRC reviews of IMSR advanced reactor technology and to supporting the goals set by the agencies in the August Memorandum of Cooperation."

Terrestrial Energy's IMSR is the subject of ongoing regulatory engagement in both Canada and the USA, the company said. The 195 MWe reactor is the only advanced reactor so far to have progressed to the second phase of the CNSC's Vendor Design Review process, and is also the subject of NRC pre-licensing activities supported by grant funding from the US Department of Energy.