ACR1000

ACR-1000, short for Advanced CANDU Reactor 1000, was a proposed nuclear reactor design developed by AECL in the mid-2000s as part of the CANDU family. It targeted about 1,000 MWe of electrical output and was intended to offer a safer, more economical path to new reactors for Canada and international buyers.

Design and technology: The ACR-1000 retained the pressure-tube layout and on-power refueling characteristic of CANDU reactors but introduced a number of innovations. It used light-water as the primary coolant while continuing to use heavy water as the moderator, and employed slightly enriched uranium fuel to improve neutron economy and extend refueling intervals. AECL described the design as modular, with standardized components to reduce construction time and capital costs, and it incorporated enhanced safety features, including systems designed to passively shut down or cool the reactor in certain fault conditions.

Development and prospects: The ACR-1000 was presented as a viable export option and a successor to earlier CANDU designs. Proponents emphasized reduced capital cost, shortened construction schedules, and compatibility with existing CANDU fuel cycles.

Status: No ACR-1000 units were built or licensed. The program faced funding and regulatory challenges and was effectively shelved around 2011–2012 amid broader restructuring of AECL and shifting global nuclear markets. The concept remains part of the historical evolution of CANDU technology, with later discussions focusing on other evolutions of the CANDU design rather than pursuing the ACR-1000 to completion.