Editorial - 25-12

Does Canada really need a replacement nuclear reactor for research purposes? That's the central question facing the federal government as it prepares to examine the fate of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd following the sale of its CANDU commercial division to SNC Lavalin.

Replacing AECL's 54-year-old National Research Universal (NRU) reactor will be expensive — the latest estimates range between $500 million and $1 billion. The benefits would have to be extensive, both from a scientific and economic perspective. And that's what proponents of reactor-based research are arguing.

AECL is currently applying to extend the NRU's life to 2021, which provides just enough time to approve, design, construct and commission a new multi-purpose research reactor. But the process has to begin soon to avoid what's known in the community as a neutron gap.

So far, the process has been orderly, leading to the realization of a key recommendation to split AECL into two entities. That discipline must continue and include serious, thorough consultation with stakeholder communities. If Canada opts not to replace the NRU, what will that mean for the research and business communities? If a multi-purpose reactor gets the green light, what justification will be used for the enormous cost involved, especially when a decision must be made in an era of fiscal restraint.

Perhaps most importantly, the decision on AECL will highlight the government's purported commitment S&T, or lack thereof.