The Municipality of Clarington in Durham is projected to play a critical role in the agreement to expand nuclear power partnership between Ontario and the State of New York.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an agreement in Buffalo, NY on December 19 to work together to advance the development of affordable, reliable and clean nuclear power. As part of this agreement, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will leverage Ontario’s global nuclear leadership to advance the development and deployment of nuclear technologies, including large-scale reactors and small modular reactors (SMRs), to meet the growing electricity demand and protect long-term energy security.
Ontario is home to the first grid-scale SMR under construction in the G7 at Darlington in Durham, as well as three nuclear generating stations, including one in Pickering.
Building on this expertise, Ontario will work closely with New York State to share its expertise in selecting nuclear sites and technologies, project development, management and operations and supply chain development for new nuclear builds.
The Agreement
Under the agreement, Ontario and New York State will work to:
- Share expertise in the development and deployment of advanced nuclear technology
- Educate the public about the economic and environmental benefits of advanced nuclear technology
- Explore opportunities to expand the trade of electricity between Ontario and New York
- Collaborate on initiatives to strengthen the nuclear workforce and identify opportunities for joint OPG-NYPA projects that create jobs in both jurisdictions.
New York State has committed to developing at least 1,000 megawatts (MW) of new nuclear generation in upstate New York to meet rising electricity demand from industrial growth, building electrification and electric vehicles while replacing aging fossil-fuelled assets with emissions-free power. This expansion of nuclear cooperation will drive energy innovation on both sides of the border with two-way trade between Ontario and New York State valued at $39 billion.
Ontario Power Exports to Three States
Under this agreement, Ontario reaffirmed the province’s commitment to fulfilling its duty to consult and engage with Indigenous communities throughout the process to advance economic reconciliation as new nuclear opportunities move forward.
Ontario’s electricity system is part of a larger, interconnected North American grid — facilitating two-way electricity trade with neighbouring provinces and U.S. states, currently operating seven interties with New York, representing a total combined transfer capacity of about 2,500 MW.
Between 2021 and 2023, Ontario exported more than 40 terawatt hours (TWh) to U.S. states like Michigan, New York and Minnesota representing about nine per cent of Ontario’s total annual generation in those years.
In May 2025, the Ontario government concurred with OPG’s plan to begin construction on the first of four SMRs at the Darlington nuclear site, which will add 300 MW of clean electricity, producing enough reliable, affordable and clean electricity to power 300,000 homes.
The construction of Ontario’s four SMRs will create up to 18,000 Canadian jobs, along with the construction, operation and maintenance adding more than $38 billion to Canada’s GDP and sustaining 3,700 highly skilled good-paying jobs over the next 65 years.
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