Ontario has signed a new partnership with the United Kingdom to advance nuclear fusion energy research and innovation.
At the International Tritium Conference in Ottawa on Monday, Minister Stephen Lecce announced that Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The agreement will see Ontario work toward supplying tritium, a critical fuel for nuclear fusion, to support the UKAEA’s research and development projects.
The province said the deal leverages Ontario’s nuclear advantage to expand export opportunities, create jobs, and build a more competitive and resilient economy in the face of U.S. tariffs. OPG will provide a secure and reliable tritium supply to fuel UKAEA’s facilities, further establishing Ontario as a leader in the international nuclear energy sector. The MOU will also support fusion energy development projects in Ontario and Canada, opening new opportunities for local industries and supply chain partners.
“This historic agreement cements Ontario’s long-standing role at the forefront of next generation nuclear energy,” Lecce said. “From building the G7’s first Small Modular Reactor to powering breakthroughs in fusion and medical isotopes, Ontario is leading the world’s clean energy future. We’re exporting our expertise, creating jobs at home and showing the world what energy security looks like.”
Ontario’s tritium is sourced from CANDU reactors, extracted from heavy water during routine operations. As tritium decays, it produces helium-3, a rare and valuable isotope used in quantum computing and with potential as a future fuel for fusion reactors.
The UKAEA leads the world’s largest publicly funded research and development program focused on making fusion energy commercially viable. Tritium supplied by Ontario could play a significant role in projects such as the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production, a prototype fusion power plant expected to prove the viability of fusion technology by the early 2040s.
“Ontario Power Generation is proud to build on our world-class leadership in producing life-saving medical isotopes and our 50-plus year history of operating safe, clean and reliable nuclear power generation,” said Kim Lauritsen, OPG’s Senior Vice President of Enterprise Strategy and Growth. “This agreement demonstrates how OPG is leveraging Ontario’s isotope and nuclear expertise to support and power the promise of nuclear fusion.”
Steve Wheeler, Executive Director of Fusion Technology at the UKAEA, said the agreement strengthens the partnership between the two jurisdictions. “OPG has played a critical part in enabling the fundamental fusion research that has become a foundation for the international fusion community,” Wheeler said. “This MOU strengthens UKAEA’s strategic relationship with the Government of Ontario and OPG to drive progress toward delivering future fusion powerplants.”
The province said the initiative is a key part of Energy for Generations, Ontario’s long-term plan to deliver reliable, affordable and secure energy to support the economy. Officials said the plan is protecting jobs, supporting workers and driving growth for the future.
Nolan Quinn, Ontario’s Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, said the agreement positions the province as a global hub for clean energy and nuclear research. “Ontario’s world-class researchers are driving our economy and cementing the province as an epicentre of clean energy and nuclear innovation,” Quinn said. “This monumental agreement will accelerate cutting-edge energy developments, advance the production and commercialization of crucial clean energy and expand Ontario’s role in the global energy market.”
Ontario noted that its nuclear reactors also produce isotopes used worldwide in health care, energy and industrial applications. OPG has previously supplied tritium for the Joint European Torus fusion experiment in the U.K.
