Monica Regalbuto
Vice-President, Science and Technology,
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
At the birthplace of Canada’s nuclear industry, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories helps move nuclear technologies from the laboratory to real-world deployment.
Canada, like the world, faces a growing energy challenge. The projected doubling of electricity demand by 2050 has intensified the focus on energy security and decarbonization. Efforts to identify reliable sources of clean energy to meet long-term needs are underway — and nuclear energy is being viewed as part of the solution.
Recognizing nuclear energy’s potential, the Government of Canada recently released its first Nuclear Energy Strategy, establishing a framework to support new reactor deployment, strengthen Canada’s position in global nuclear markets, expand fuel cycle opportunities, and accelerate homegrown innovation.
However, realizing these ambitions requires more than policy direction alone.
The big challenges
One of the most significant challenges facing the nuclear sector is the need for a robust innovation ecosystem. New technologies must be researched, tested, demonstrated, and validated before they can be deployed at scale. Advances in reactor design and materials, reactor sustainability lifetimes, new fuel technologies, waste management solutions, radiopharmaceutical applications, and national security innovations all require specialized infrastructure, highly skilled personnel, and sustained scientific collaboration to move from idea to reality.
The challenge is compounded by the long-term nature of nuclear projects. Nuclear technologies must be supported throughout this entire lifecycle, from concept development and licensing through operation, waste management, decommissioning, and future modernization. Maintaining the scientific expertise and facilities needed to support these activities over decades is essential to ensuring success.
It’s why Canada’s national nuclear laboratory in Chalk River, Ont., exists.
The role of Canada’s national nuclear laboratory
As the birthplace of nuclear in Canada, the Chalk River Laboratories has unlocked innovation in every aspect of nuclear technology — including the development of CANDU reactor technology, which powers Canada’s operating reactor fleet. Its National Research Universal reactor (or NRU, as it’s famously called) gave rise to the global radioisotope industry, demonstrating for decades the technology used today in Canada’s fleet to produce isotopes.
Now operated by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), the lab supports the continued safe operation of the CANDU fleet and has been undergoing an extensive revitalization to support the new nuclear path Canada has chosen.
“We act as a critical bridge between scientific discovery and real-world deployment,” says Monica Regalbuto, Vice-President of Science and Technology at CNL. “The lab is invested in advancing Canada’s next generation of nuclear technologies. This includes new reactor designs, isotope production and cancer therapies, and even enabling Canada’s opportunity in fusion energy with the construction of Fusion Fuel Cycles’ UNITY-2 test facility.”
Canada’s nuclear energy future
As Canada looks to build new reactor technologies, its nuclear sector appears primed to undertake the work ahead — much of which is already underway.
“Success will not only depend on the nation’s ability to move technologies from laboratory to deployment, but on the ability of industry, government, and academia to do it together,” adds Regalbuto.
As a tier-one nuclear nation, Canada has done it before. Now, it’s up to its next generation to do it again.
To learn more visit cnl.ca.
