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REGINA — The Province of Saskatchewan, through SaskPower, is planning to invest $6.3 million over the next six years to establish four new nuclear research chairs at post-secondary institutions in the province.

The chairs, whose work will support nuclear science and the deployment of nuclear energy generation in Saskatchewan, are made possible by partnerships with the University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE) and the Sylvia Fedoruk Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation, states a release.

The funding includes $3.3 million over six years in order to join UNENE and establish Western Canada’s first two UNENE nuclear research chairs. One at the University of Regina and the other at the University of Saskatchewan.

Another $3 million will be invested over the same amount of time with the Fedoruk Centre to establish two additional chairs.

One chair will be located at Saskatchewan Polytechnic and develop training programs to prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers in the nuclear sector, the release adds.

The other chair will be at the First Nations University of Canada and research how to best integrate and support the use of Indigenous knowledge in the licensing, construction and operation of nuclear power facilities.

The chairs will all collaborate to develop nuclear-focused curriculums, support the delivery of graduate degrees in nuclear science and engineering, and conduct research in nuclear engineering, nuclear physics and materials science.