CANDU Owners Group

Last updated
Conexus Nuclear Inc.
Industry Nuclear power
Founded1984
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Key people
Rachna Clavero, President & CEO
Revenue$74.44 million CAD (2017) [1]
Number of employees
55 (2017)
Website www.conexusnuclear.org

Conexus Nuclear Inc. (Conexus) is a Canadian, not-for-profit corporation that serves as a global collaboration hub for operators, suppliers, researchers, and industry stakeholders in the nuclear sector. Formerly known as the CANDU Owners Group (COG), the organization rebranded to Conexus Nuclear Inc. (Conexus) in April, 2025 to better reflect its expanding mandate and evolving role in the international nuclear industry.

Contents

Conexus is funded voluntarily by its members, including CANDU-operating utilities worldwide, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), SaskPower, [2] the Saskatchewan Research Council, [2] and supplier participants. It facilitates the sharing of knowledge, solutions, and best practices to enhance safety, performance, and innovation in CANDU and advanced nuclear technologies, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). [3] It has also been evaluating the potential of nuclear reprocessing in Canada. [4]

Members

Canadian Members

Bruce PowerCanadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) • New Brunswick Power CorporationOntario Power Generation (OPG) • SaskPowerSRC Nuclear

International Members

China National Nuclear CorporationKorea Hydro & Nuclear PowerNucleoeléctrica Argentina  [ es ]Nuclear Power Corporation of India LimitedSocietatea Nationala Nuclearelectrica (Romania)

About Conexus

Conexus was formed in 1984 by an agreement among the Canadian CANDU-owning utilities [5] Ontario Hydro (now Ontario Power Generation), Hydro-Québec and New Brunswick Power, plus Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL). It also included CANDU operators in Romania, South Korea, and Argentina. [6] It became a non-profit corporation in 1999.

In 2025, the organization rebranded to Conexus Nuclear Inc. to mark a pivotal milestone in its history and to align with its forward-looking mission. The name “Conexus” reflects its core value of connection and collaboration, while maintaining its foundational commitment to CANDU technology and excellence through collective action. [7]

Conexus offers collaborative solutions in five program and service areas:

1. Research & Development - Through management of the CANDU industry’s largest Research and Development program, Conexus helps reduce the cost of nuclear energy while increasing plant sustainability by enabling members to collaborate, share risks and collectively reap the rewards of advancements. [8] This included base funding for part of the research and development costs of AECL. [9]

2. Joint Projects & Services - Joint Projects and Services is a trusted, flexible space to address nuclear industry challenges and opportunities. We help our members engineer new approaches for longer, more robust plant life, develop innovative solutions to common opportunities and challenges through shared resources, and access cost effective auditing, inspection and qualification services. As well, JP&S tackles materials-related issues such as acquisition of obsolete parts, sharing of spare parts and obsolescence management. [10]

3. Nuclear Safety & Environmental Affairs - Nuclear Safety and Environmental Affairs works on behalf of members to promote the adoption of common strategies to evolve policy and resolve issues for nuclear safety, regulatory affairs and the environment while furthering industry-level strategic initiatives. [11]

4. Information Exchange - Information Exchange brings together nuclear industry operators, experts and supply chain partners to benchmark, capture and share decades of experience and the latest best practices to foster safety, sustainability and top performance across the nuclear value chain. [12]

5. Learning and Development - Learning and Development develops the leaders of tomorrow with leadership, safety culture, regulatory and educational programs tailored for the nuclear industry. [13]

Mission, Vision and Values

Conexus’ mission: Excellence Through Collaboration.

Conexus’ vision: To be the world’s most successful and trusted nuclear collaboration hub – accelerating innovation, enabling growth and driving industry excellence.

Conexus’ values:

References

  1. COG Annual Report 2016-17 [ permanent dead link ]
  2. 1 2 Salloum, Alec (2024-04-29). "Province looks to bolster nuclear energy expertise; SaskPower, research council join key not-for-profit organization". Regina Leader-Post . Regina (Saskatchewan): Postmedia Network. p. A.1. ProQuest   3049071427 . Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  3. "Home". www.conexusnuclear.org. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  4. Gordon Edwards; Susan O’Donnell (2024-03-11). "Nuclear industry wants Canada to lift ban on reprocessing plutonium, despite proliferation risks". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists . Chicago . Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  5. Mian, Zia (2000). "KANUPP and the Effects of Ageing". Some issues associated with Pakistan's Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP) (PDF). Working Paper Series # 51. Islamabad, Pakistan: Sustainable Development Policy Institute. p. 13. JSTOR   resrep00633.6 . Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  6. Bratt, Duane (2006). The Politics of CANDU Exports. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. p. 319. ISBN   9780802090911 . Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  7. "Home". www.conexusnuclear.org. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  8. "What We Do | Conexus". www.conexusnuclear.org. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  9. Atomic Energy Canada Limited (1997). Canada Enters the Nuclear Age. McGill–Queen's University Press. p. 434. ISBN   9780773516014 . Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  10. "What We Do | Conexus". www.conexusnuclear.org. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  11. "What We Do | Conexus". www.conexusnuclear.org. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  12. "What We Do | Conexus". www.conexusnuclear.org. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  13. "What We Do | Conexus". www.conexusnuclear.org. Retrieved 2025-08-08.