Contracts support Candu refurbishment projects in China and Canada

Units 5, 7 and 8 will be the last three Candu units at the Ontario site to undergo Major Component Replacement (MCR) - a refurbishment process involves removing and replacing key reactor components including steam generators, pressure tubes, calandria tubes and feeder tubes and adding 30-35 years to the reactor's operating life. In total, six units at the site are being refurbished to extend the life of the site to 2064.

SGRT is a joint venture between Aecon and SGT, a partnership between Framatome and United Engineers & Constructors Inc. It has already completed steam generator replacement work in the MCR at Bruce 6, which returned to commercial operation last September. Work is ongoing for units 3 and 4.

SGRT's scope of work as part of the Bruce MCR project includes engineering and planning activities, the removal of existing steam generators, the installation of new steam generators, construction management and procurement of materials, and construction activities. Planning for unit 5 has commenced, Aecon said, with the execution phase beginning in 2027 and completion of all three units anticipated by 2033.

Qinshan agreement

 
AtkinsRéalis company Candu Energy Inc has entered into an agreement with Third Qinshan Nuclear Power Company Limited (TQNPC) to support the ongoing 30-year life extension of the two Candu reactors at the Qinshan Nuclear Generating Station in China, providing design, engineering, and procurement services as part of the project for Phase III. This includes providing sophisticated reactor tooling, training of TQNPC staff, and completing the necessary engineering work to enable the prolonged operation of the plant, AtkinsRéalis said.

The two Candu 6 pressurised heavy water reactors at Qinshan are known as Qinshan Phase III units 1 and 2. The Qinshan site, in Zhejiang province 100 km southwest of Shanghai, is also home to a Chinese-designed CNP-300 pressurised water reactor, Qinshan 1, and two CNP-600 pressurised water reactors known as Qinshan Phase II.

Qinshan's Candu units are majority owned by China National Nuclear Power and were built on a turnkey basis, with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited being the main contractor. They began operating between 2002-2003, and are now approaching the scheduled date for component replacement to facilitate a further 30 years of operation.

The contract follows mandates in 2021 and 2022 for pre-project preparatory work, both of which have now been completed on schedule, AtkinsRéalis said.

AtkinsRéalis is the sole commercial licensee of the Canadian-owned Candu intellectual property portfolio, and has taken a leading role in all Candu reactor life extension projects to date globally, including projects in already completed or currently under way in Asia, North America, Europe and South America.

The company's Candu life extension reactor support business is a CAD15 billion "total addressable market" with upcoming projects in China, Canada, Argentina, Romania, and South Korea that could include 19 Candu reactors over the next 10 years, AtkinsRéalis President, Nuclear Joe St Julian said. "With this latest mandate at Qinshan, we are proud to uphold our reputation as the recognised leaders for Candu technology life extensions, maintaining a tradition of safety, quality, and excellence in execution," he added.