Ontario’s $149/MWh SMR bet. With Professor Mark Winfield

Ontario’s $149/MWh SMR bet. With Professor Mark Winfield

Ontario Power Generation now estimates electricity from its four planned Darlington small modular reactors will cost $149/MWh. York University professor Mark Winfield argues that figure is still below several independent estimates and raises questions about the assumptions behind the project.

He joins Markham Hislop to discuss why SMRs may struggle with economies of scale, the lack of transparent electricity-system modelling in Ontario, and whether renewables, storage and advanced geothermal are getting a fair comparison. The conversation also examines how incumbent utilities shape technology choices and why electricity cost will become increasingly important to Canadian affordability and competitiveness.