Major Bruce Nuclear Project in Canada Wraps Up Ahead of Schedule

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Written by Danny Levin, Deputy Editor for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

The refurbishment of Unit 3 at the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario wrapped up ahead of schedule. Industrial Info is tracking US$228 billion worth of active and planned Power Industry projects across Canada, with about 35% of the investment attributed to nuclear power.

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Bruce Life Extension Key to Canada's Nuclear Buildout

The refurbishment of Unit 3 at the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario wrapped up ahead of schedule. The project is part of a larger effort to extend Bruce's life and boost Canada's nuclear capacity.

According to Industrial Info Resources data, there are US$228 billion worth of active and planned Power Industry projects across Canada, with about US$100 billion attributed to nuclear power. Much of the nuclear investment is in Ontario.

The Unit 3 project was completed seven months ahead of schedule and came in under budget. The reactor will provide more than 800 megawatts (MW) of power at the site, which has an operational capacity of about 6,550 MW across two sections--Bruce A and B. The largest nuclear site in Canada, Bruce supplies about 30% of Ontario's electricity. About 50% of the province's electricity is generated from nuclear reactors.

"As electricity demand continues to grow, investments in nuclear generation will play a critical role in providing the reliable, affordable, and emissions-free power needed to support Ontario's economy for decades to come," Colin Anderson president of the Association of Power Producers of Ontario, said in a press release.

The work on Unit 3 is part of a larger effort to refurbish six reactors (units 3 through 8) across Bruce A and B, aimed at extending Bruce's life through 2064. Work on four reactors remain, with two projects already underway.

Another major effort at the site is in the early planning stages: the Bruce C project would add a massive 4,800 MW to the overall capacity by building a new generation facility.

While IIR is currently tracking the project with a low probability of moving forward as planned, it saw a development last month: the Ontario government and Bruce Power announced a $300 million pre-development agreement--which includes funds for pre-construction and site preparation--to advance the proposed expansion. While a formal project cost has not been announced, it is expected to be in the tens of billions. IIR is currently estimating US$30 billion.

Readers can find details on all of the active and planned projects at Bruce through detailed project reports and related plant profiles.

Also underway is construction of the first of four planned small modular reactors (SMRs) at Canada's second-largest operating nuclear-power site, also in Ontario: owned and operated by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), the Darlington Nuclear Power Station in Bowmanville has roughly 3,600 MW of operational capacity. Construction of the initial 300-MW GE Hitachi BWRX-300 reactor kicked off in 2024 and could wrap up in 2030. Construction of the other three, 300-MW reactors could begin as early as 2028. For more information, view the related project reports and plant profile.

OPG's refurbishment of units 5 to 8 at the Pickering Nuclear Power Station also is in the pre-construction phase. The units provide a total operational capacity of roughly 2,200 MW. Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) will hold public hearings on the project--as well as OPG's application to extend the reactors' operating licenses past December 31--on June 23 and October 5, respectively.

View a full list of active and planned nuclear-power projects across Canada.

Key Takeaways

• The Unit 3 refurbishment at the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario, Canada, part of a larger life extension program at the site, wrapped up ahead of schedule.
• Other Canada nuclear projects include four SMRs at Darlington and a proposed refurbishment of units at Pickering.
• US$100 billion: value of nuclear-power projects across Canada, much of which is in Ontario.

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).