A New Era of Nuclear Energy Cooperation
Randy Wolken, President & CEO
New York’s renewed focus on advanced nuclear energy took a significant step forward this week when Governor Kathy Hochul announced a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and Ontario Power Generation. The agreement establishes a formal framework for cross‑border cooperation on advanced nuclear technologies, including large‑scale nuclear power and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The goal is clear: strengthen energy reliability, affordability, and decarbonization while supporting economic growth on both sides of the border.
Governor Hochul emphasized that today’s energy challenge isn’t about choosing between reliability, sustainability, and affordability, but about delivering all three simultaneously. Nuclear energy uniquely meets that test. A single gigawatt of nuclear power can supply electricity to roughly one million homes without adding carbon emissions, operating continuously and remaining insulated from the volatility of global oil and gas markets. Just as importantly, nuclear energy supports thousands of high‑quality jobs in construction, operations, engineering, and advanced manufacturing. Through this MOU, New York is signaling that nuclear power is not only an energy solution but a strategic economic asset.
Canada’s advanced nuclear power ecosystem reflects a deliberate national strategy to deploy SMRs that deliver clean, reliable, low‑carbon energy at scale. With electricity demand rising rapidly and climate goals accelerating, Canada has positioned nuclear power as a core pillar of long‑term economic competitiveness. The SMR ecosystem is not a single project; it’s a coordinated system of utilities, regulators, manufacturers, workforce institutions, and suppliers working together across provinces to deliver projects predictably and safely.
Ontario operates one of the most successful nuclear power fleets in the world. Bruce Power and Ontario Power Generation supply more than half of Ontario’s electricity with safe, stable, emissions‑free nuclear energy. The Darlington SMR project—featuring the GE Hitachi BWRX‑300—represents North America’s first grid‑scale SMR under construction, giving Ontario a decisive first‑mover advantage. Decades of experience with nuclear reactors and large‑scale nuclear refurbishment programs have produced a highly skilled workforce and a culture of nuclear excellence that now underpins SMR deployment.
The Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI) plays a central role in translating nuclear ambition into industrial capability. With more than 250 member companies, OCNI strengthens supplier readiness, safety culture, quality standards, and international partnerships. By coordinating trade missions, connecting suppliers to projects, and aligning manufacturers with nuclear‑grade requirements, OCNI has helped transform Canada’s nuclear supply chain into an export‑ready, globally competitive advanced manufacturing asset.
Canada’s nuclear energy manufacturing strength was built over decades through sustained investment in reactor deployments, life‑extension programs, and continuous demand for high‑precision components. This long‑term commitment fostered world‑class capabilities in heavy manufacturing, digital engineering, advanced materials, modular fabrication, and nuclear‑grade quality systems. The SMR era builds directly on this foundation, expanding opportunities for factory‑based production, transportable reactor modules, and more efficient construction techniques.
The Canadian nuclear energy ecosystem supports long‑term, high‑skill employment across engineering, construction, advanced manufacturing, quality assurance, and project delivery. These jobs provide stable career pathways, strengthen regional economies, and attract private investment. As SMR deployment scales across Canada, workforce demand is expected to grow for decades, reinforcing nuclear power’s role as a durable engine of economic development rather than a short‑term stimulus.
As the first Western nation to move a grid‑scale SMR into construction, Canada is setting the benchmark for advanced nuclear deployment. Darlington’s SMR design is increasingly viewed as a benchmark for U.S. utilities and states evaluating nuclear options. Canada’s regulatory clarity, strong safety culture, and mature manufacturing base position it as a North American hub for SMR deployment, technology transfer, and exports.
Ontario’s experience offers a practical blueprint for New York as it accelerates advanced manufacturing growth, particularly in the Upstate regions experiencing historic investment. Semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence infrastructure, and electrified industrial processes require enormous quantities of uninterrupted, high‑quality power. Facilities such as semiconductor fabrication plants operate continuously and can’t tolerate power disruptions or fuel price volatility. Nuclear energy provides the firm, clean power necessary to support these industries at scale.
Ontario’s success demonstrates that reliable nuclear generation must be paired with deliberate industrial strategy. By aligning utilities, regulators, manufacturers, and workforce systems, nuclear power becomes a catalyst for advanced manufacturing capacity rather than a standalone energy asset. New York is well-positioned to apply these lessons. With strong universities, an existing advanced manufacturing base, and growing technology clusters, the state can integrate advanced nuclear development into a broader strategy for long‑term competitiveness and job creation.
Cross‑border collaboration strengthens this opportunity. Through cooperation with Ontario Power Generation, New York manufacturers can participate in the production of the components, systems, and services required for SMR deployment, supporting high‑skill jobs while building export‑ready capabilities. This approach mirrors Ontario’s experience, where sustained nuclear investment produced a globally competitive supply chain.
Ontario’s nuclear energy ecosystem illustrates a fundamental lesson: ambitious economic visions succeed only when they are matched by equally ambitious infrastructure planning. Nuclear power provides the reliability, affordability, and carbon‑free energy required to support advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies.
For New York, embracing advanced nuclear energy through partnerships like the NYPA‑Ontario Power Generation MOU is not simply about meeting future electricity demand; it’s about ensuring that the industries of tomorrow can grow, compete, and thrive. By learning from Ontario’s execution‑driven model, New York can transform today’s historic investments into lasting economic strength for decades to come.