The messaging from Ontario’s government and the energy sector is clear: nuclear technology is powering the province’s future.
To many industry insiders, this comes as no surprise. Ontario is already leading in small modular reactor (SMR) technology, building the first grid-scale SMRs in a G7 country. This technology can supply clean electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes while supporting economic growth and local job creation.
With forecasts indicating that Ontario’s electricity demand could increase by about 75 percent by 2050, driven by electrification of transportation and industry and population growth, nuclear expansion will help meet that demand.
Additionally, nuclear’s growth helps strengthen energy security and creates export and supply-chain opportunities for Canadian technology and expertise, further bolstering the business case for investment in capacity and workforce.
What Are The Key Drivers Influencing Growth In Ontario’s Nuclear Industry?
Ontario’s nuclear industry is scaling due to a combination of provincial clean energy goals, long-term grid reliability needs, and significant demand growth driven by electrification. Nuclear provides a reliable solution to these drivers by providing firm, low-emission baseload power that supports a stable grid without increasing carbon emissions.
The province is already moving forward with a major nuclear refurbishment pipeline project underway and significant investments in new nuclear builds, including SMRs. These programs create sustained, multi-decade demand for qualified nuclear suppliers, such as Arrow Engineered Products (AEP), that have invested in specialized technology, capacity, infrastructure, and a skilled workforce to support large-scale nuclear projects.
How Is AEP Positioned To Support This Nuclear Growth?
AEP is uniquely positioned to support Ontario’s expanding nuclear program through a combination of purpose-built capacity expansion, a highly capable fabrication network, and a mature nuclear quality program aligned with industry requirements.
The upcoming opening of AEP’s new 55,000 sq. ft. Woodstock facility represents a major strategic investment in Ontario-based manufacturing capacity. This purpose-built site expands AEP’s ability to fabricate and process larger, more complex nuclear components through enhanced crane capacity and integrated blast and paint capabilities, supporting improved throughput, quality control, and schedule reliability.
Beyond the Woodstock expansion, AEP brings deep expertise as a full-service metal fabricator, with established capabilities across welding, machining, forming, fit-up, assembly, coating, and testing. With multiple facilities operating in close proximity, within 20–30 minutes of one another, AEP can balance work across its network, improve production flexibility, and reduce supply chain risk for the long-term nuclear programs.
Read More: 2025 Operational Highlights And Team Perspectives At AEP
AEP Nuclear Capabilities And Market Position
- Full-scope nuclear fabrication partner, delivering tooling, machined sub-components, fabricated sub-assemblies, and complete engineered builds.
- Proven capability in precision machining and heavy fabrication, supporting both tight-tolerance and large-scale nuclear components.
- Fabrication expertise across pressure vessels, tanks, heat exchangers, and complex welded assemblies, including specialty alloy applications.
- Experienced in both inside-reactor (IR) and outside-reactor (OIR) component supply, supporting safety-critical and balance-of-plant scopes.
- Ability to execute specialized site fabrication and field-based work, supporting refurbishment and retrofit programs with schedule flexibility.
- Active contributor across all current CANDU MCR programs, supporting ongoing refurbishment demand and long-term fleet sustainability.
- Engaged in Canada’s emerging nuclear future through participation in the SMR program, supporting new build and next-generation deployment strategies.
- Supporting innovation and R&D nuclear initiatives as a Tier 2 supplier to the Advanced Lead-cooled Waste System (ALWS) program at Chalk River.
- Positioned to scale with Ontario’s nuclear growth through expanding capacity, workforce development, and a multi-site manufacturing footprint.
How Does AEP Maintain Nuclear Quality And Execution Confidence?
AEP’s ability to support Ontario’s nuclear growth is reinforced by a mature, multi-site quality system aligned with the highest standards in Canada’s nuclear supply chain. Across AEP’s manufacturing network, sites operate under CSA N299.2 and N299.3 quality program requirements, ensuring disciplined execution, document control, inspection rigor, and full material traceability.
AEP also maintains an established CSA N285 program, implemented at both Stratford and Woodstock, positioning the organization to support safety-related nuclear components with consistent compliance and oversight.
In addition, AEP holds ASME Section VIII certification at both Stratford and Woodstock, supporting pressure vessel fabrication for nuclear and industrial applications. To further expand nuclear capability and future-proof the Woodstock investment, AEP is actively adding full ASME Section III certification at the Woodstock facility, aligning with next-generation nuclear and refurbishment requirements.
AEP’s welding compliance programs further strengthen its nuclear readiness, with CWB and N programs already in place at both Cambridge North and Cambridge South, and CWB certification planned for Woodstock to support expanded fabrication scope.
With multiple certified facilities operating under aligned quality programs, AEP offers customers a rare combination of nuclear-grade compliance, scalable capacity, and manufacturing redundancy, enabling reliable delivery for both current and future nuclear programs.
How Does AEP Recruit, Train, And Retain Nuclear Talent?
AEP understands that the most advanced technology is useless without a skilled workforce to operate it.
We are proud to have a highly trained, long-tenured, skilled workforce, including employees who have recently reached 50 years with the company. This depth of experience is a significant asset in nuclear manufacturing, given the industry’s stringent regulatory requirements, the need for high-precision, safety-critical operations, and the prevalence of “tacit knowledge” that cannot be easily documented in manuals.
As our business scales, AEP focuses on strong transition, training, and mentorship plans to transfer knowledge from senior employees to the next generation. Opening the Woodstock facility enables AEP to bring in new skilled trades, engineers, and technical professionals, supporting both workforce development and long-term execution capability for nuclear projects.
How Does AEP Manage Lead Times, Material Sourcing, And Supply Chain Risk?
Supply chain management is critical in nuclear projects, where long lead times and specialized materials are commonplace.
AEP works closely with its suppliers to maintain clear visibility into material availability and potential delays. Long-lead items are identified early and factored into project schedules. In some cases, nuclear work requires specialty mill runs, including recent experience sourcing material from European mills, making early planning essential.
AEP’s ability to manage these risks is supported by a coordinated, collaborative internal team, including:
- Engineering coordinators
- Purchasing and supply chain professionals
- Schedulers
- Plant operations and project supervisors
- Quality and inspection experts
As nuclear demand increases, AEP will add to these teams to ensure schedules are actively managed, risks are addressed early, and execution remains predictable.
Arrow Engineered Products: Trusted Partners In Nuclear Programs
AEP’s depth of custom fabrication, complex CNC bending, engineered assemblies, and nuclear‑grade quality programs enable us to succeed with large-scale projects where other fabricators fail. We combine the legacy expertise developed over 100 years of metalworking excellence with advanced technology and expert technicians to deliver unparalleled quality with every project.
Contact AEP today to experience the Arrow difference in quality, precision, and service: www.arrowmfgep.com/contact.