Project Overview
Funded through ERA’s Reshaping Energy Systems Challenge in 2024, X‐energy performed a pre-front-end engineering design (FEED) study to assess the feasibility of repurposing a fossil‐fueled power plant site for a nuclear reactor power plant. The study evaluates infrastructure, compatibility with a future hybrid grid and social considerations to understand the implications of first of a kind (FOAK) nuclear project in Alberta from a business, technology and regulatory perspective.
Repurposing a Geothermal Site for a Nuclear Plant
The site assessed for repurposing is an Alberta thermal generation site owned by TransAlta, and the reactor evaluated is X‐energy’s Xe‐100 small modular reactor (SMR). SMRs split atoms to produce heat, which has several uses such as steam production, electricity production, district heating and hydrogen generation. Although nuclear reactors are not new, a “small” modularized package is a relatively new concept and not operational in any industry within Canada. Design, cost and technology readiness levels (TRL) vary by individual reactor designs. These different designs also include varying fuels, coolants and mediums to transfer heat, such as water, helium, molten salt and liquid metals.
The Xe‐100 SMR utilizes proprietary fuel pebbles called “tri‐structural isotropic (TRISO‐X)”. These fuel pebbles include a uranium core surrounded by graphite and silicon layers for structural strength and durability. Helium is used as a coolant, and the heat is transferred in a helium‐to‐steam heat exchanger. This system produces superheated steam at 565°C, which can be directly accessed for a wide range of specific customer process heat applications. Because the Xe‐100 SMR produces no emissions, all the steam and electricity it produces would be carbon-free. Given these applications, this technology offers an opportunity to strengthen Alberta’s power grid and reduce emissions in the province. Additionally, the Xe‐100 becomes increasingly competitive as the cost of emissions rises, given that the cost of offsetting emissions is set to increase by $15 annually, rising to $170 per tonne of emissions by 2030.
Understanding the Future of Small Nuclear Reactors in Alberta
X‐energy’s pre‐FEED study focused on various technical and economic evaluations that would support a high‐level understanding of the opportunities and benefits of repurposing a fossil generation site for an Xe‐100 power plant. Overall, the study resulted in encouraging outcomes for repurposing a fossil-fuel generation facility for an Xe-100 SMR. The candidate site offered many suitable features and could be a suitable site for an Xe-100, as it has the land and water requirements and offers features like existing transmission lines that are advantageous for new generation capacity to take advantage of in Alberta. Additionally, X-energy quantified the economic case for the Xe-100; however, there is more analysis that will be needed to fully understand how a capital-intensive SMR project can be deployed in Alberta’s energy market.
The licensing plan describes the relevant federal and provincial acts, regulations and requirements that are relevant for SMR projects and the timelines associated with obtaining required approvals. The Stakeholder Engagement Plan developed in this study presents a roadmap to approaching social acceptance for a nuclear project, the sensitivities, risks and considerations in Alberta and presents important recommendations for future steps. Lastly, the high-level supply chain and economic benefits assessment demonstrates that Alberta has a well-established supply chain base that can adjust to include nuclear, to create thousands of jobs and economic benefits in the province.
What’s next?
This project was completed in 2025 and represents important groundwork for deploying SMRs in Alberta. Overall, a project to deploy the Xe‐100 SMR in Alberta first requires several in‐depth follow‐on studies and commercial arrangements. X-energy recommends that future work focus on Alberta’s energy market and creating practical pathways to deploy expensive projects. Future work should also focus on conducting comprehensive site characterization and other technical assessments that align with frameworks for major project derisking and approvals to get to a final investment decision. These actions will help inform successful project planning for a future Xe‐100 in Alberta and ensure that the project is economically, environmentally and socially sustainable.