Stakeholders sign IPD agreement for CNL facility
The partners responsible for construction of a new facility at Chalk River Laboratories have announced the signing of an integrated project delivery (IPD) agreement.
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) announced on November 29 the construction on its latest laboratory research complex, the Advanced Nuclear Materials Research Centre (ANMRC), is planned to begin in next year. Once complete, the ANMRC will be one of the largest nuclear research facilities ever constructed in Canada, and will serve as the backbone of CNL’s research and development infrastructure.
The IPD agreement sees all parties commit to collaboration and shared success. The construction team includes CNL, Chandos Construction Inc., Bird Construction Inc., M. Sullivan & Son Limited, Eclipse Automation, J2PG Consultants, Merrick & Company, Modern Niagara, MSE, Plan Group and Siemens.
In building its IPD team, CNL says it placed a priority on retaining qualified local organizations wherever possible, and to incentivize the use of local resources in the work, to ensure the project brings economic benefits and employment opportunities to the region.
“After an extensive validation phase, I’m very happy to announce that we have all the necessary organizations in place to move into the next stage of the design and construction of this exciting new research facility,” said CNL President and CEO Joe McBrearty. “The revitalization of the Chalk River campus is designed to position CNL as a world leader in nuclear science and technology, and the ANMRC is at the centre of this vision. It will be constructed using a model where all participants work collaboratively with one another towards the same goals, and which maximizes the economic impact to local businesses.”
Construction of the ANMRC is part of a 10-year transformation of the eastern Ontario Chalk River campus, funded through a $1.2 billion investment from Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. The work includes the revitalization of essential site infrastructure and a significant investment in new, world-class science facilities.
As the largest single capital investment in the revitalization of the Chalk River campus, the ANMRC will be a 10,000-square metre research complex that will accommodate 240 employees and consolidate key capabilities from aging facilities that are scheduled for decommissioning. The centre will feature 12 new shielded cells that will enable post-irradiation examination of small modular reactor and next-generation nuclear fuels, and glovebox facilities to support the development of advanced fuel fabrication concepts.
In addition to the ANMRC, a new science collaboration centre recently began construction, a new industrial-use support facility was inaugurated, a new site entrance building was completed, and several science facilities have been opened over the last few years, including a brand-new hydrogen laboratory complex, a new materials research laboratory, and a new tritium research facility.
Featured image: The ANMRC will be a 10,000 square metre research complex that will accommodate 240 employees and consolidate key capabilities from aging facilities that are scheduled for decommissioning. (Canadian Nuclear Laboratories)