Our Stories

Innovation and Modernization

Terrestrial Energy and L3Harris Technologies driving innovation under the National Shipbuilding Strategy

The latest Industrial & Technological Benefit (ITB) under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy reaches from Halifax to Montreal to Oakville.

Terrestrial Energy has awarded L3Harris Technologies a contract to develop an engineering and operator training simulator for the Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR®), a Generation IV nuclear power plant. The IMSR power plants will provide zero-carbon, reliable, dispatchable, cost-competitive electric power and high-grade industrial heat for use in many industrial applications. A contributing factor to this partnership is the result of L3Harris’ participation in the construction of Canada’s Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship Program underway at Halifax Shipyard. The National Shipbuilding Strategy ensures investment in Canadian businesses, organizations, research and more throughout the life of the program, both inside and outside the shipbuilding industry.

“This agreement demonstrates how our government’s commitment to building ships for the Royal Canadian Navy and the Coast Guard is driving innovation across Canada,” said the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “This partnership will help Canada to advance domestic small modular reactor technology, while creating good jobs as the country moves towards generating energy with fewer carbon emissions.”

The IMSR power plant simulator is being built at L3Harris’ operation in Montreal, Quebec and will be delivered to Terrestrial Energy’s Oakville, Ontario facility in 2021. It will provide Terrestrial Energy with a high-fidelity platform to simulate and visualize all major IMSR reactor and power plant functions. The simulator will support Terrestrial Energy’s engineering activities and, subsequently, operator training as development moves to licensing and construction prior to plant commissioning. In addition to modeling and testing the integrated engineering simulator, L3Harris will provide its state-of-the-art Orchid® simulation environment and training to Terrestrial Energy for further simulator development.

“This investment in Terrestrial Energy is another example of the National Shipbuilding Strategy at work creating investment in people and businesses across the country to ensure Canadians are benefitting from coast to coast to coast,” said Kevin McCoy, President of Irving Shipbuilding. “Through the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship construction program and the Canadian Surface Combatant program, spending commitments to date have generated positive economic impacts for hundreds of businesses and organizations that are creating world-class innovation and research across the country.”

In delivering vessels to the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard, the National Shipbuilding Strategy is rebuilding Canada’s shipbuilding industry and providing important economic benefits to Canadians. To date, Irving Shipbuilding and its partners have successfully completed over $2.3 Billion in ITB obligations throughout Canada as part their commitments under the AOPS program.

Published:

Follow us on social media.