Darlington New Nuclear Project — Unit 1 — estimated target 2030

Estimated buildout target through 2030

Grid connection by end of 2030. OPG’s planning goal is completion of the first SMR by the end of this decade and grid connection by the end of 2030. Only Unit 1 is included; three future reactors require further approvals.^[4]

Construction is verified; the completion date remains an estimate. The timeline marker represents the published target year/month, not a confirmed opening day.

Published cost and electrical output

Project cost / investmentAbout CAD 7.7 billionCost scopeUnit 1 plus shared infrastructure; includes interest, escalation and contingencyCost source date2026-03Electrical generating capacity300 MW — Operator-reported electric generating capacity; not annual energy productionVerified project stageUnder construction

Project-specific research

OPG publishes a C$7.7 billion release-quality budget for the first SMR and shared site infrastructure: C$6.1 billion Unit 1 plus C$1.6 billion common systems/services. The budget includes interest, escalation and contingency. Included output is the first 300 MWe reactor under physical construction; the three additional proposed units and their combined C$20.9 billion fleet budget are excluded.^[3][4]

Published project-specific cost for Darlington New Nuclear Project — Unit 1: CAD 7.7e+09. Basis: Unit 1 plus shared infrastructure; includes interest, escalation and contingency.^[3]

Published electric generating project rating for Darlington New Nuclear Project — Unit 1: 300 MW. Basis: Operator-reported electric generating capacity; not annual energy production. Operator confirms 300 MWe per unit and summer-2026 reactor-building construction after basemat installation.^[4]

Scope and evidence

Retained only with documented physical construction, commissioning or 2025–2026 opening and published project-specific costs and electrical output. Costs use the published scope and currency; no benchmark estimates or currency conversions. MW is power capacity, not annual electricity production. Expected annual energy, where given, is a forecast. The map point is a reported plant/project location and may be approximate. Matching inventory views and excluded expansion proposals are not additive capacity.

Verified project media and credits

Darlington New Nuclear Project aerial site view published by Canada’s Major Projects Office. Photo capture date is not stated on the page; the wider site should not be read as proof that all four reactors are under construction. Credit: Government of Canada / Major Projects Office; photographer not identified. Source and gallery; original media.