Ontario Expands Nuclear Cooperation with Hungary
PARIS, FRANCE — The Ontario government is expanding its global leadership in nuclear energy with a new international partnership aimed at advancing small modular reactor (SMR) technology. At the World Nuclear Exhibition in Paris, Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Mines, Stephen Lecce, announced that Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and the Belgian Nuclear Forum have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to explore the deployment of new SMRs in Belgium.
Ontario’s Nuclear Leadership Goes Global
The agreement marks another step in Ontario’s growing role as a world leader in clean nuclear energy. Belgium recently announced the restart of its nuclear generation program to enhance its energy independence from Russia — and Ontario’s expertise in nuclear innovation has made it a key partner.
“As countries around the world look for affordable, reliable, and clean energy, Ontario is leading the way,” said Minister Lecce. “We are proud to work with Belgium to deploy Ontario-made nuclear technology and SMR expertise. This new partnership reflects Ontario’s reputation as a respected and advanced nuclear operator.”
Ontario is already at the forefront of the global SMR movement, becoming the first G7 jurisdiction to begin construction of a small modular reactor through the Darlington New Nuclear Project.
We are delighted to see that our cooperation in all fields — especially in the domain of small modular reactors — is advancing ever closer between Hungary and Ontario. Minister Péter Szijjártó and Ontario’s Minister Stephen Lecce met at the World Nuclear Exhibition in Paris today pic.twitter.com/MFpO0KNCRG
— Hungary in Toronto & Vancouver (@Hungary_Toronto) November 4, 2025
Ontario’s Expanding Global Nuclear Partnerships
The province’s latest international collaboration follows similar agreements with Estonia and Poland, where Ontario technology is being deployed to build 24 SMRs. Additionally, Ontario’s nuclear supply chain is supporting the refurbishment of CANDU reactors at Romania’s Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant.
These initiatives are strengthening Ontario’s global standing while creating new markets for local companies. The projects are also expected to generate tens of thousands of good-paying jobs across engineering, manufacturing, and energy sectors.
Economic Impact and Job Creation
Ontario’s comprehensive nuclear expansion strategy is a major economic driver. The province plans to refurbish its entire nuclear fleet while leading the largest nuclear build-out in North America.
The overall impact of Ontario’s nuclear development is expected to contribute $160 billion to Canada’s GDP during construction and $630 billion during operations, creating approximately 80,000 jobs during construction and 64,000 jobs during operations.
The Darlington New Nuclear Project alone — which includes four SMRs — will generate up to 18,000 Canadian jobs, inject $500 million annually into Ontario’s economy, and contribute $38.5 billion to Canada’s GDP over 65 years.
Clean Energy, Economic Growth, and Global Recognition
Ontario’s growing network of international nuclear agreements underscores its emergence as a global clean energy superpower. With new SMR partnerships and ongoing CANDU refurbishments abroad, Ontario is helping partner nations achieve cleaner, more secure energy futures — while strengthening the province’s economy at home.
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