Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Research Facilities

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) research facilities are located in Chalk River, Ontario, Canada, approximately 180km north-west of Ottawa along the Ottawa River.^[1][2] CNL is a nuclear technology center which has undergone renovation.^[3]

CNL Revitalized Research Facilities
General information
Location	286 Plant Road, Chalk River, Ontario Canada
Client	Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
Design and construction
Architect	HDR
Website
https://www.cnl.ca/about-cnl/revitalization-of-the-chalk-river-laboratories/

Logistics Warehouse
General information
Completed	September 2020
Cost	$30.6 million
Height
Architectural	Projected energy use 101 kWh/sqm/yr
Technical details
Floor area	5016 sqm / 54000 sqft

Support and Maintenance Facility
General information
Completed	March 2021
Cost	$32.8 million
Height
Architectural	Project energy use 143.3 kWh/sqm/yr
Technical details
Floor area	4800 sqm / 51670 sqft

Science Collaboration Centre
General information
Completed	Estimated spring 2023
Cost	Estimated $62 million
Height
Architectural	Projected energy use 130.4 kWh/sqm/yr (without data centre), 373.8k Wh/sqm/yr (with data centre)
Technical details
Floor area	8918 sqm / 88240 sqft

History

Historically, the Chalk River Laboratories was a nuclear power plant and advanced nuclear research facility. CNL began developing nuclear technology in the late 1940's and early 1950's.^[3] The government-owned company Atomic energy of Canada Limited (AECL) took over Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories in 1952, but today the site is operated through contractors such as CNL.^[4] Research at the site led to the development of the CANDU reactor. Other subjects of research included fuels, hydrogen production, storage and handling of radiation, and more recently alpha therapies medical isotope treatment for cancer.^[3] In 2014, Ontario became the first jurisdiction in North America to fully rely on nuclear power and renewable energies.^[3] In 2016 a $1.2 billion investment plan over ten years was which required required the decommissioning of 120 aged facilities and designing new centres was released by the Government of Canada.^[5][6]