The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has named five companies that will design and plan Canada’s deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel in northwestern Ontario to securely contain and isolate nuclear waste for the long term.
The firms selected are WSP Canada Inc., Peter Kiewit Sons ULC (Kiewit), Hatch Ltd., Thyssen Mining Construction of Canada Ltd., and Kinectrics Inc. Together with the NWMO, these companies will work on engineering, construction planning, mine design, mine construction, nuclear systems design, and advisory services related to nuclear management.
Construction of the repository will not begin until the project successfully completes two key review processes: the federal regulatory process and an Indigenous-led regulatory assessment and approval process. The latter is a sovereign regulatory process being developed and implemented by Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation.
To manage the complex project, NWMO will use an Integrated Project Delivery model. This approach brings the NWMO and its partners together as a single, co-located team to foster collaboration, trust, and open communication. According to the NWMO, this model is well-suited for the unique challenges of such a large-scale, first-of-its-kind infrastructure project.
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The roles of the selected companies are as follows:
- WSP Canada Inc. will handle all architectural design and engineering, excluding mine-related infrastructure, waste rock pile, shafts, hoisting systems, and the Used Fuel Packaging Plant.
- Peter Kiewit Sons ULC (Kiewit) will oversee all above-ground construction design.
- Hatch Ltd. will be responsible for underground mine design, waste rock management, shaft and hoisting systems, as well as the design of nuclear facilities and the Used Fuel Packaging Plant.
- Thyssen Mining Construction of Canada Ltd. will lead the underground mine construction, including the sinking of three shafts and work in the service, test, and demonstration areas.
- Kinectrics Inc. will provide nuclear operations management advice, helping to shape project planning, design, oversight frameworks and quality assurance programs.
Founded in 2002, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization is a not-for-profit organization responsible for managing Canada’s intermediate- and high-level radioactive waste.
