Ottawa Construction News staff writer
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) says an integrated project delivery (IPD) agreement is in place for the design and construction of the Chalk River Laboratories’ new laboratory research complex, the Advanced Nuclear Materials Research Centre (ANMRC).
The IPD team includes CNL, Chandos Construction Inc., Bird Construction Inc., M. Sullivan & Son Limited, Eclipse Automation, J2PG Consultants, Merrick & Company, Modern Niagara, MSE, Plan Group and Siemens.
With construction scheduled to begin in next year, the ANMRC will be one of the largest nuclear research facilities ever constructed in Canada, and will serve as the backbone of CNL’s research and development infrastructure, CNL said in late November statement.
Construction of the ANMRC is part of a 10-year transformation of the Chalk River campus, funded through a $1.2 billion investment from Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, the owner of the site, on behalf of the Government of Canada. This includes the revitalization of essential site infrastructure and a significant investment in new science facilities.
CNL says in its statement that it made it a priority to retain qualified local organizations wherever possible, and to incentivize the use of local resources in the work, to ensure the project brings economic benefits and employment opportunities to the region.
“After an extensive validation phase, I’m very happy to announce that we have all the necessary organizations in place to move into the next stage of the design and construction of this exciting new research facility,” said Joe McBrearty, CNL’s President and CEO. “The revitalization of the Chalk River campus is designed to position CNL as a world leader in nuclear science and technology, and the ANMRC is at the centre of this vision.
“It will be constructed using a model where all participants work collaboratively with one another towards the same goals, and which maximizes the economic impact to local businesses.”
The ANMRC will also support Canada’s clean energy goals by providing services critical to the life extension and long-term reliability of existing reactors, including Canada’s fleet of CANDU nuclear power reactors and other designs from around the world.
As the largest single capital investment in the revitalization of the Chalk River campus, the ANMRC will be a 10,000 sq. m. research complex accommodating 240 employees and consolidating key capabilities from aging facilities that are scheduled for decommissioning.
The ANMRC will feature 12 new shielded cells that will enable post-irradiation examination of small modular reactor (SMR) and next-generation nuclear fuels, and glovebox facilities to support the development of advanced fuel fabrication concepts.
In addition to the ANMRC, a new science collaboration centre recently began construction, a new industrial-use support facility was inaugurated, a new site entrance building was completed, and several science facilities have been opened over the last few years, including a brand-new hydrogen laboratory complex, a new materials research laboratory, and a new tritium research facility.
