OPG submits initial project description for new nuclear in Port Hope

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has submitted the Initial Project Description (IPD) for New Nuclear at Wesleyville (NNW) in Port Hope to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC). The document and its summary in English and French are now posted to the IAAC website and are open for public comment.

This key regulatory milestone is the first step in advancing the project through the necessary, multi-phased impact assessment (IA), as OPG explores the potential for large-scale new nuclear generation at its Wesleyville site. The IA process is led by the IAAC in collaboration with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and will include an assessment of potential impacts and explore how adverse effects could be mitigated. It also provides another opportunity for Rights-holding First Nations and interested Indigenous communities, the Municipality of Port Hope, stakeholders, and the public to share their perspectives and views.

OPG worked closely with the Michi-Saagiig Anishnaabeg Nations of the Williams Treaties First Nations (MS-WTFN) to ensure their collaborative input to the document. The IPD includes perspectives from MS-WTFN community members including Elders and those who have traditional knowledge of the area. The IPD also incorporates early input from the Municipality of Port Hope, where the proposed project is located, and perspectives gathered through OPG’s early engagement efforts in the community.

In early 2025, the Ontario government asked OPG to explore the potential for new nuclear generation at its Wesleyville site to help meet the growing demand for electricity in the province. The site, which is maintained by OPG and already zoned for electricity generation, is well-suited to support a large new nuclear site and is located near existing transmission, road, and railway infrastructure. The IPD has been developed based on a range of potential nuclear technologies that could be deployed at the site, totaling up to 10,000 Mwe, enough to power the equivalent of 10 million homes.

Featured image: (OPG)