NWMO chooses vendors to design and plan Canada’s deep geological repository

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) announced the five companies it has selected to work with to design and plan Canada’s deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel in northwestern Ontario.

The NWMO, as the owner of the project, will be working with WSP Canada Inc., Peter Kiewit Sons ULC (Kiewit), Hatch Ltd., Thyssen Mining Construction of Canada Ltd. and Kinectrics Inc.

The chosen companies will work on facility infrastructure design and engineering, construction planning, mine design, mine construction, nuclear management advising and nuclear systems and facilities design.

“The NWMO is proud to engage with five experienced and respected companies to design and plan Canada’s deep geological repository, and we’re excited to work with them to  move toward our goal of containing and isolating Canada’s used nuclear fuel. While this is a unique project in Canada, the core needs are well established, and the companies chosen have deep experience in mining, construction design and the handling of nuclear materials,” said Laurie Swami, president and CEO, Nuclear Waste Management Organization.

Construction will only begin once the deep geological repository has successfully completed the federal government’s multi-year regulatory process and the Indigenous-led Regulatory Assessment and Approval Process, a sovereign regulatory process that will be developed and implemented by Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation.

The NWMO is using an Integrated Project Delivery model to design and build the deep geological repository — an innovative approach for an innovative project.

The companies and the NWMO will work as one team, co-located to move the project forward. This approach encourages trust and open communication among all parties, putting what is best for the project first by enabling collaboration between the NWMO and the selected companies. All companies involved, including the NWMO, will work hand-in-hand throughout the entirety of the process.

This integrated and collaborative contracting approach is ideal for such a unique, long-term, first-of-its-kind mega-project that relies on input from our host communities, the regulator and other stakeholders.

The selected vendors will have the following responsibilities:

Design/engineering 
WSP will be responsible for all architectural design and engineering for the project, excluding the engineering and design of the mine and waste rock pile, shafts, headframes and hoisting design and the Used Fuel Packaging Plant.

“The deep geological repository represents an important step forward in Canada’s clean energy future, creating a safe solution for the storage of used nuclear fuel. Using the latest technology, combined with WSP’s depth of expertise, we look forward to delivering this invaluable project for Canadians,” said Marie-Claude Dumas, president, WSP in Canada.

Constructor 
Kiewit will be responsible for all above-ground construction design required to build the deep geological repository.

“Kiewit is proud to be joining industry leaders for this first-of-its-kind project in the country. We are excited to bring our expertise to this project’s collaborative model, which will benefit Canada and local communities for generations to come.” said Patrick Lamarre, president, Kiewit Canada Group

Mine design 
Hatch will be responsible for all aspects of the project related to underground mine and waste rock management, as well as shaft, headframe and hoisting systems related to the design and construction of the deep geological repository.

Mine construction 
Thyssen Mining will be responsible for the underground mine construction design of the service, test and demonstration area, as well as the sinking of three shafts into the repository.

“Thyssen Mining is honored to be chosen as the preferred proponent in the mining constructor category for the NWMO’s deep geological repository, which underscores the trust and confidence placed in our team and organization. With more than 60 years of history working in the North American underground mining and civil sectors, we’re proud of our track record of partnering with Indigenous communities across our country to responsibly develop sustainable projects on their lands. We will work collaboratively with our new partners on the deep geological repository to bring innovation and best-in-class expertise to the project — while always respecting the people affected and communities in which we are working. Thyssen Mining is proud to be part of the team that will deliver this once-in-a-lifetime project that Canadians can all be proud of,” said Colin Wilson, CEO, Thyssen Mining.

Nuclear management advisor 
Kinectrics will be responsible for in-depth nuclear operations management expertise and advice to inform the development and planning of the project, design, oversight and assurance framework and quality assurance programs.

“Kinectrics is pleased to join the project team that will design and build the deep geological repository for the long-term management of Canada’s used nuclear fuel. The repository ensures the protection of the environment for future generations. In our role as the nuclear management advisor for this project, we will leverage our broad experience in nuclear operations, engineering, facility licensing and management to collaborate with the project team and successfully deliver this project, continuing to support the nuclear industry’s capacity to provide clean, safe, as well as reliable electricity for Canadians,” said David Harris, president and CEO, Kinectrics.

Nuclear systems and facilities 
Hatch will be responsible for all aspects of the project related to nuclear facilities and the Used Fuel Packaging Plant.

“Hatch has been working collaboratively with the NWMO on the deep geological repository since 2015, supporting the early design and planning for the surface facilities, shafts, underground infrastructure and the Used Fuel Packaging Plant. We are thrilled to be a part of this important project for Canada and are proud to be able to bring our experience in Integrated Project Delivery together with our mining and nuclear expertise to deliver this project successfully with the NWMO and the selected parties,” said John Bianchini, CEO, Hatch.

Featured image: NWMO Vice-President and Chief Engineer Chris Boyle addresses vendors at the NWMO Discovery and Demonstration Centre