CANDU® Reactor Division
CANDU® Reactor Division develops business opportunities related to CANDU® products, and manages the sales, marketing, customer relations and the delivery, including pre-project planning and engineering, of AECL's commercial products and services to its CANDU® customers.

AECL's CANDU Reactor business is operated on a commercial basis and generates value through its core activities, which include the management of nuclear reactor construction, life extension and servicing projects.

The CANDU Reactor Division is responsible for two lines of business: Projects and Services. The Projects business unit activities include construction of new reactors and reactor life extension (retube and refurbishment) projects, together with related marketing and business development, project management services, equipment procurement and heavy water activities. Also included in this line of business are activities related to the development and commercialization of the ACR-1000.

The Services business line provides a full range of engineering and technical products and services. These support operating CANDU plants, extend their life through upgrades and improve customer productivity and competitiveness.

Research and Technology Division
The Research and Technology Division contributes value to Canada through undertaking of research, production of medical isotopes and management of nuclear waste. An important part of the Research and Technology Division's mission is to carry out the Government of Canada's policy mandate in support of Canadian nuclear technology and industry through its technology infrastructure, which includes nuclear laboratories and facilities.

The research and development (R&D) activities are centred on eight key technologies: safety; software performance; physics and fuel; fuel channels; components and systems; hydrogen and heavy water; environmental emissions and health physics; and control and information.

Regulatory
AECL operates facilities that are licensed by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), and as such, AECL must meet the CNSC's regulatory requirements. In addition, AECL must meet regulatory requirements of other agencies. As part of the process of designing new reactors, AECL also interacts with the CNSC to ensure that upcoming regulatory requirements are understood and will be met by new design. Environmental assessment studies are part of the regulatory environment and assessments are completed regularly and, where possible, placed on the AECL website.

Sustainable Development
More and more, nuclear energy is being recognized as contributing significantly to sustainable development by producing clean and affordable energy. And with abundant supplies of uranium, nuclear energy has a key role to play in meeting the rapidly growing energy needs of an expanding world population, without polluting the environment or contributing to global warming.

AECL's commitment to sustainable development starts at the top and is factored into all of its business planning activities. A Senior Environment Committee, appointed by the President and chaired by the Chief Environmental Officer, ensures AECL's responsibilities are coordinated and reviewed.

Legacy Waste
AECL takes seriously its responsibility to manage the radioactive waste that it produces. The focus is divided into five disciplines: Comprehensive Preliminary Decommissioning Program; High-Level Waste Management; Low-Level Waste Management; Decommissioning Services; Fuel Packaging and Storage Project.