Countries from around the world came together to talk nuclear power recently, and among those leading the charge was Meadow Lake MLA Jeremy Harrison. Harrison, who also serves as the provincial minister of Crown Investments Corporation (CIC) and minister responsible for SaskPower, led a delegation to Poland this week for the World Nuclear Supply Chain Conference. The mission’s goal was to deepen Saskatchewan’s ties with international nuclear industry stakeholders and showcase the province’s advantages in enhancing energy security around the world.

“This world-class conference is an incredible opportunity for Saskatchewan to collaborate with international governments, industries and suppliers, particularly those involved in nuclear reactor development,” Harrison said. “As a greenfield jurisdiction, our province needs to engage with experienced partners to learn about best practices, so we can improve efficiencies and lower costs in our nuclear journey.”

While in Poland, Harrison spoke at the conference in an effort to highlight the significant role Saskatchewan will play in the expanding global outlook for nuclear energy. The delegation also met with government officials, utility companies, energy suppliers, manufacturers and new industry entrants, to explore potential opportunities for collaboration and profile Saskatchewan’s strengths. Specifically, Harrison also had meetings with Catherine Godin, the Canadian ambassador to Poland, as well as Piotr Piela, CEO of PEJ, which is the Polish Nuclear Corporation that is building Westinghouse nuclear reactors fuelled by Saskatchewan uranium. “With the world’s highest grade uranium deposits, a robust mining sector, worldclass research institutions and suppliers, Saskatchewan has what the world needs to fuel a growing global nuclear reactor fleet today and for decades to come,” Harrison said. “We need to promote our Saskatchewan advantages on the global stage to gain partnerships and attract future value added investment. Saskatchewan will play an essential role in delivering on the global declaration to triple nuclear energy worldwide by 2050.”

In a subsequent interview with Northern Pride, Harrison reiterated the objective of the mission as being to deepen the province’s ties and central location in the nuclear supply chain as nuclear energy expands around the world. “Saskatchewan uranium fuels nearly a quarter of global power production around the planet and we believe Saskatchewan can play an even bigger role in adding value to our natural resource wealth,” Harrison said. “We’re working hard with our world-class companies in building out our supply chain with the objective Saskatchewan people see even more jobs and opportunities being created at home.” Northern Saskatchewan is home to the world’s largest high-grade uranium deposits. The province produces 100 per cent of Canada’s uranium and is the second largest uranium producer in the world. In 2024, Saskatchewan hit record production and export sales of uranium, valued at $2.6 billion. Cameco, Saskatchewan’s largest uranium producer, is recognized as a leading Indigenous employer in Canada, reinforcing the industry’s inclusive approach and boosting confidence in the long-term potential of Saskatchewan’s nuclear sector. Cameco’s acquisition of Westinghouse puts the province among major players supporting global growth for nuclear power.

The Government of Saskatchewan continues to invest in building a nuclear workforce, suppliers and research capacities. It is working closely with the Saskatchewan Industrial and Mining Suppliers Association on a supply chain readiness project to prepare local suppliers and identify targeted opportunities to participate in nuclear supply chain development at home and around the world. In 2022, SaskPower announced the selection of the GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 reactor as the preferred technology for potential deployment in Saskatchewan. Since then, SaskPower has identified two high potential hosting sites in the province, and is working through its newly established subsidiary, SaskNuclear, on licensing to deploy the SMR in Saskatchewan. The mission to Poland ran from May 18-22.