The Canadian nuclear power program

Nuclear-electric generating stations, predominantly the 2000 MWe Pickering station near Toronto, currently produce 5 per cent of Canada's electric energy. By the year 2000 nuclear plants will probably supply more than 40 per cent of the country's electricity. The CANDU system, featuring pressure tube reactors, heavy water moderator and natural uranium fuel, is the preferred type and will remain so for many years to come. Envisaged is the evolutionary development of the CANDU fuel cycle to embrace the use of thorium and thereby extend nuclear fuel resources by a matter of centuries. The history of the Canadian nuclear power program, its present status and future outlook are reviewed, as are the safety and environmental aspects of nuclear power.