Small, Modular Nuclear Reactors and Fusion Industries with Michelle Ireland, M.Eng., P.Eng., Materials Technology Director
ASM Speaker Series In-person Event
November 27th 2024 (6:30pm EST) – Holiday Inn 590 Argus Rd, Oakville, ON L6J 3J3 (near Oakville GO station)
About the talk:
Nuclear energy is experiencing a renaissance. With the advent of electrification of vehicles, and the ever increasing demand for larger processing power for data centres, the need for reliable, clean sources of electricity is growing. Nuclear power is the only source of electricity that is able to provide significant amounts of reliable power to the grid. In an attempt to meet this demand, the existing fleet of CANDU reactors in Canada are currently completing or undergoing refurbishment programs that will extend the life of the reactors 30+ years into the future. However, the existing fleet alone will not satisfy the energy demands of the future and new large build projects, complemented by micro, small and advanced reactors, will all have a place in the electricity supply chain. Even further future looking, globally the community is working to advance fusion technologies. Several advancements in the fusion industry have been made in the past five years and the industry has seen remarkable growth as the demand for large sources of power increases. This talk will focus on the state of the SMR and Fusion industries, focusing on North America and the UK. Different technologies will be discussed at a high level and the challenges each face on the path to commercialization.
Want to learn more? Register below to join us on Nov 27th with Michelle!
About The Speaker
Michelle Ireland, M.Eng., P.Eng.
Michelle Ireland is the Materials Technology Director at Kinectrics Inc with over 18 years of experience in CANDU nuclear consulting. Prior to her career in the nuclear industry, Michelle worked as a metallurgist in the steel industry. A major focus of her career has been in materials and component testing, specifically, forensics and component failure analysis, fitness for service and in the execution of specialized mechanical testing programs for major component qualification. In Michelle’s current role, she is responsible for business development in growth areas such as small and advanced reactors and the fusion industry, while still leading various materials-related projects within the CANDU fleet. Michelle is also a member of the CSA N285B SMR Task focusing on inspection standards for SMR applications. She is also a member of the ASTM F42 Committee on Additive Manufacturing Technologies and is the vice chair of subcommittee F42.07.10 – Energy Applications.