Welcome to Nuclear Ontario
Nuclear Ontario is a university research network established with funding from the Ontario Research Fund-Research Excellence (ORF-RE) program in 2008 to advance Canadian technologies for safe, clean and sustainable nuclear power.
Six universities participate in Nuclear Ontario. McMaster University is the lead institution together with Carleton University, Queen’s University, Royal Military College of Canada, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and the University of Western Ontario.
Industry partners include the University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE), Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), Nu-Tech and TSI.
Research DirectionsThe research program has three major focus areas:
- Sustainable Nuclear Power Development, Advanced Fuel Cycles and Waste Reduction Initiatives, focusing on development of advanced nuclear fuel cycles including solutions for reduction of long-term spent fuel management in Ontario.
- Materials Degradation in CANDU reactor heat transport systems, focusing on fundamental studies in the degradation processes of existing and future nuclear materials.
- Advanced Nuclear Reactor Systems, focusing on the development of advanced computational models of key enabling technologies in pressure tube reactors.
The network’s research applies to both existing and advanced CANDU designs, as well as future reactors being considered under the Generation IV international initiative, of which Canada is a member.
Research Collaborations
Research collaborations in the areas of advanced CANDU fuel cycles, Generation IV reactors and materials degradation have been established between Nuclear Ontario and Chalk River Laboratories.
Network funding
Funding of $4.83 million is provided by the Ontario Research Fund-Research Excellence (ORF-RE) program. With matching funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the industry partners the total network funding amounts to a $14.5 million investment over a five year period.