Atomic Energy of Canada Limited

"AECL" redirects here. For other uses, see AECL (disambiguation).

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Company typeCrown corporation
IndustryNuclear power research
Founded1952
Headquarters
Chalk River, Ontario
,
Canada
Key people
Fred Dermarkar (President and CEO)
RevenueIncrease CA$900 million (2017)[citation needed]
Total assetsIncrease CA$1.071 billion (2017)[citation needed]
Number of employees
3,500 worldwide
SubsidiariesCanadian Nuclear Laboratories
Websitewww.aecl.ca

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) is a Canadian Crown corporation and the largest nuclear science and technology laboratory in Canada. AECL developed the CANDU reactor technology starting in the 1950s, and in October 2011 licensed this technology to Candu Energy.

AECL describes its goal as ensuring that "Canadians and the world receive energy, environmental and economic benefits from nuclear science and technology – with confidence that nuclear safety and security are assured".

Until October 2011, AECL was also the vendor of CANDU technology, which it had exported worldwide. Throughout the 1960s–2000s AECL marketed and built CANDU facilities in India, South Korea, Argentina, Romania, and the People's Republic of China. It is a member of the World Nuclear Association trade group.

In addition, AECL manufactures nuclear medicine radioisotopes for supply to Nordion[1] in Ottawa, Ontario, and is the world's largest supplier of molybdenum-99 for diagnostic tests, and cobalt-60 for cancer therapy.

AECL is funded through a combination of federal government appropriations and commercial revenue. In 2009, AECL received CA$651 (equivalent to $893.99 in 2023) million in federal support.[citation needed]

In October 2011 the federal government of Canada sold the commercial CANDU design and marketing business of AECL to Candu Energy for CA$15 million (including 15 years worth of royalties, the government could get back as much as CA$285 million). The sale entered the exclusive negotiation stage in February, a month after the other bidder, Bruce Power pulled out).[2][3][4][5] Poor sales and cost overruns (CA$1.2 billion in the last five years) were reasons for the divestment though SNC-Lavalin expects to reverse that trend by focusing on new generation reactors.[6] SNC-Lavalin Nuclear Inc, SNC's nuclear subsidiary is already part of Team CANDU, a group of five companies that manufacture and refurbish the CANDU reactors.[7] The government will continue to own the Chalk River Laboratories (produces isotopes for medical imaging).[8] The transaction puts 800 jobs at risk while improving job security for 1,200 employees. Due to safety concerns many countries are considering thorium nuclear reactors which AECL's CANDU reactors easily convert into[9] (from uranium fuelled). Higher energy yields using thorium as the fuel (1 tonne (0.98 long tons; 1.1 short tons) of thorium produces the same amount of energy as 200 tonnes (200 long tons; 220 short tons) tons of uranium) also makes it more attractive.[10] OMERS has also shown interest in the company.[2]

  1. ^ "MDS Nordion". Nordion. n.d. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Chase, Steven; Perkins, Tara (24 February 2011). "SNC-Lavalin, OMERS in talks to hook up on AECL purchase". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. ISSN 0319-0714. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Candu purchase gives SNC Lavalin 'free call option'". CBC News. June 30, 2011. Archived from the original on July 2, 2011.
  4. ^ "AECL sold for $15M to SNC-Lavalin:Government could still earn future royalties from intellectual property rights". CBC News. June 29, 2011.
  5. ^ "Canada set to sell AECL unit to SNC-Lavalin: Report". Reuters. June 28, 2011. Archived from the original on May 25, 2012.
  6. ^ "Federal government sells CANDU reactor division to SNC-Lavalin". June 29, 2011. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011.
  7. ^ "Background Information – Team CANDU". Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference privatization was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Thorium – World Nuclear Association". March 2011. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  10. ^ Dean, Tim (1 April 2006). "New age nuclear". COSMOS. No. 8. ISSN 1832-522X. Archived from the original on 12 May 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2021.