Site selection involves balancing technical, environmental, and social factors. Common challenges include:

• Ensuring geological stability and low seismic risk
• Access to grid infrastructure, water, and transport
• Navigating complex regulatory requirements
• Minimizing environmental impact
• Building community and Indigenous support

WSP provides comprehensive site selection, site due diligence assessments and engagement strategies to help clients select viable, low-risk locations.

Choosing between Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and large reactors depends on your goals:

SMRs:

• Faster deployment (5–8 years)
• Lower capital cost
• Ideal for remote or industrial sites
• Scalable and flexible

Large Reactors:

• Higher power output (1,000+ MW)
• Long-term baseload generation
• Established regulatory pathways
• Higher upfront investment but proven technology

WSP helps clients evaluate both options based on energy needs, site conditions, and long-term strategy.

Deployment timelines and costs vary by technology:

• SMRs: 5–8 years, 50–300 MW, $1–3 billion
• Large Reactors: 10–12 years, 1,000–1,600 MW, $10+ billion

WSP supports clients with cost modeling, schedule planning, and risk mitigation to accelerate deployment and ensure financial viability.

Nuclear waste is managed through a tiered approach:

• Low & Intermediate-Level Waste: Safely stored and disposed of in engineered facilities.
• High-Level Waste (Spent Fuel): Initially stored on-site, then transferred to long-term geological repositories (or in onsite safe storage containers in the USA). The amount of nuclear waste generated is quite small – spent fuel that would be used to support the energy needs throughout the lifetime of one person that lived for 80 years would fit into a single soda can.

WSP provides services in waste characterization, facility design, transportation logistics, and regulatory compliance to ensure safe and responsible waste management.