Ontario and UK Sign Clean Energy Partnership to Advance Fusion Innovation
Ontario and the United Kingdom sign a clean energy partnership to advance nuclear fusion research and strengthen global collaboration.
OTTAWA — Ontario has entered into a historic clean energy partnership with the United Kingdom, positioning the province as a global leader in nuclear and fusion innovation. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed between Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), will see Ontario work toward supplying tritium — a critical fuel for nuclear fusion — to support groundbreaking fusion research projects in the UK.
The agreement was announced by Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Mines, Stephen Lecce, at the International Tritium Conference in Ottawa. It marks a milestone in Ontario’s strategy to leverage its nuclear advantage to create export opportunities, protect workers, and build a resilient economy amid global trade challenges.
Forging a clean energy alliance 🇨🇦🇬🇧
Proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership for Ontario’s @opg to supply 100% of tritium (a critical fuel) to @UKAEAofficial.
Together with @RudyCuzzetto, we signed a deal that opens new export markets, creates jobs, and solidifies… pic.twitter.com/VM6ur5i1cF
— Stephen Lecce (@Sflecce) September 22, 2025
Leveraging Ontario’s Nuclear Advantage
Ontario’s nuclear sector has long been a pillar of the province’s energy infrastructure, from operating CANDU reactors to producing life-saving medical isotopes. Tritium, sourced from CANDU operations, plays a dual role: it powers fusion research and, as it decays, produces helium-3 (He-3), an isotope with applications in quantum computing and the potential to fuel future fusion reactors.
Minister Lecce highlighted the province’s role in advancing nuclear technology.
“This historic agreement cements Ontario’s long-standing role at the forefront of next generation nuclear energy,” said Lecce. “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.”
Supporting UK and Canadian Fusion Research
The UKAEA leads the world’s largest publicly funded research program dedicated to making fusion energy commercially viable. Ontario’s tritium supply could play a key role in projects like the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP), a prototype powerplant expected to demonstrate commercial fusion viability by the early 2040s.
Steve Wheeler, Executive Director of Fusion Technology at UKAEA, praised the collaboration.
“This MOU strengthens UKAEA’s strategic relationship with the Government of Ontario and OPG to drive progress toward delivering future fusion powerplants,” Wheeler said.
The MOU also opens pathways for fusion energy projects in Ontario and Canada, creating opportunities for domestic industries, researchers, and supply chain partners.
Building on Ontario’s Nuclear Legacy
Ontario Power Generation emphasized how this agreement builds on decades of expertise.
“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.”
Energy for Generations
The Ontario government’s Energy for Generations plan is a long-term roadmap to ensure the province has reliable, affordable, and secure energy while fostering economic growth. By advancing nuclear partnerships and investing in cutting-edge technologies like fusion, the province is working to safeguard energy security, strengthen supply chains, and create good-paying jobs.
As fusion technology moves closer to commercialization, Ontario’s leadership in tritium production ensures it will remain at the forefront of global clean energy innovation — with benefits for workers, communities, and the broader economy.
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