Bruce 6 refurbishment begins
21 January 2020
Bruce Power has formally begun the execution phase of its first Major Component Replacement (MCR) project by taking Bruce 6 offline. Six Candu units at the Bruce site are to be upgraded between now and 2033, extending their operation to 2064.
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The Bruce operations team completed the rundown sequence to take unit 6 offline (Image: Bruce Power)
Bruce Power's overall life extension programme started in January 2016 and will see Bruce units 3-8 undergo refurbishment (units 1 and 2 have already been refurbished). The MCR will take 46 months to complete for each unit.
Extending the life of the Bruce Power site until 2064 will result in an annual injection of CAD4 billion into Ontario's economy while creating and sustaining 22,000 jobs across the province each year, Bruce Power said.
Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator in 2018 verified a final fixed cost for the Bruce 6 refurbishment of CAD2.185 billion dollars (USD1.652 billion). The total cost of the Bruce refurbishment has been estimated at about CAD8 billion, in addition to CAD5 billion on other activities under the life-extension programme.
According to The Ontario Energy Report, released by the company last week, nuclear met 61% of Ontario's electricity needs in 2019, and also helps to support Quebec, which relies on hydroelectricity to meet its needs for power during the cold winter months. Ontario Power Generation is also in the process of refurbishing four Candu units at the Darlington nuclear power plant in a project scheduled for completion in 2026.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News