Uranium and nuclear power facts

Uranium is a silvery-white metal and a primary energy source. After raw uranium is mined and milled, it is processed to make fuel for nuclear reactors to generate electricity.

Learn more about uranium and nuclear power

Uses and production

Uranium is used primarily as fuel for nuclear power generation, accounting for more than 99% of global demand. The remaining less than 1% is used in research reactors and for the production of medical isotopes.

In 2024, Canada produced 14.3 kilotonnes of uranium from mines in Saskatchewan, with a production value of approximately $3 billion. All current production comes from high-grade deposits, where uranium concentrations can be up to 100 times higher than the global average.

Canada’s resources of more than 588,000 tonnes of elemental uranium (tU)—at a price of less than US$50 per pound for tri-uranium octoxide (U3O8)—supports continued production for at least 50 years.

Some of Canada’s uranium production is refined and converted in Ontario to produce uranium hexafluoride (UF₆) and uranium dioxide (UO₂).

Approximately 90% of Canada’s uranium production is available for export. Based on long-term commercial contracts—which can fluctuate with regional demand—Canadian uranium is shipped to North and South America (44%), Asia (17%), and Europe (39%). In 2024, Canada supplied 33% of the uranium purchased by U.S. nuclear reactors, making it the largest foreign supplier of uranium to the United States.

Domestic consumption in Canada’s CANDU reactors in Ontario and New Brunswick accounted for roughly 10% of production in 2024.

Supply and demand

There is a strong nuclear science and technology presence across Canada, including the production of isotopes for medical and industrial applications. All Canadian uranium comes from Saskatchewan, but uranium processing, refining, conversion, fuel fabrication, research, and waste management happens across Canada. Nuclear power stations operate in Ontario and New Brunswick.

Gross capacity of nuclear power plants in Canada

The five nuclear power stations in Canada have a combined capacity of 13,545 megawatts. The Bruce generating station in Ontario is one of the largest nuclear power plants in the world.

Nuclear power plants in Canada, location and capacity

Facility	Province	Total capacity (MW)	Units
Darlington	Ontario	3,736	4
Bruce A	Ontario	3,437	4
Bruce B	Ontario	3,507	4
Pickering	Ontario	2,160	4
Point Lepreau	New Brunswick	705	1

International context

Uranium

Find out how Canada's uranium ranks on an international scale:

• World production
• World exports
• World known recoverable resources

Nuclear power

Find out how Canada's nuclear power ranks on an international scale:

World generation, 2024 –2,667 terawatt hours

Rank	Country	Percentage of Total
1	United States	29%
2	China	16%
3	France	14%
4	Russia	8%
5	South Korea	7%
6	Canada	3%

Prices

Most Canadian uranium is sold through long-term contracts rather than on the spot market. Canadian uranium is typically exported to North and South America (44%), Asia (17%), and Europe (39%).

The average uranium spot price peaked at US$88 per pound U₃O₈ in 2007, then declined to US$22 in 2017 before gradually rising to US$72 in 2024. Since 2022, the spot price has remained above the average price of uranium purchased from foreign suppliers (US$53 in 2024).

Canadian nuclear research and development

Canada has nuclear research and development (R&D) capabilities that are supported by academic research centres, the private sector and government laboratories—including Chalk River Laboratories, Canada's largest science and technology complex.

Nuclear energy research is focused on supporting existing reactor technologies as well as next-generation nuclear energy systems. Canada is also a leader in nuclear R&D for areas such as nuclear medicine, pharmacology, environmental protection and wastewater treatment.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are nuclear reactors that operate at a smaller scale than current nuclear power plants. Although not yet commercially proven in Canada, they may have future applications. SMRs might replace fossil fuel power plants or be used as load-following units equipped with systems for storing excess electricity to complement larger shares of variable renewables.

SMRs may also have applications in the production of heat and electricity at both on- and off-grid industrial sites, and to help off-grid northern and remote communities reduce their reliance on diesel.

CANDU nuclear reactors

Canada has developed a unique nuclear reactor technology called CANDU and is one of roughly half a dozen countries that offer domestic-designed reactors to the open commercial market.

In addition to Canada, CANDU reactors have been sold to India, Pakistan, Argentina, South Korea, Romania and China.

CANDU technology continues to evolve to enable the use of alternative fuels. Work is under way in Chinese CANDU reactors to demonstrate that they can recycle used fuel from other nuclear power plants, reducing the volume of nuclear waste.

Learn more about Canadian Nuclear Energy Technology.

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