OPG wraps up Darlington 1 refurbishment early
Refurbishment activities have been completed five months ahead of schedule at the third of four nuclear units to undergo the process at the Ontario Power Generation plant, which will soon be reconnected to the grid.
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The 875 MWe unit was taken offline for refurbishment in February 2022, following units 2 and 3, which completed refurbishment in 2020 and 2023, as part of a 10-year CAD12.8 billion (about USD9.7 billion) mega-project to refurbish all four Candu units at the site. The final unit undergoing refurbishment, unit 4, is currently in the reactor rebuilding phase, and is on schedule to be completed by the end of 2026.
Separately, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) announced it has removed the fourth and final regulatory hold point for the Darlington 1 refurbishment, allowing Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to exceed 35% full operating power for the refurbished reactor and proceed with normal operations. Hold points are mandatory checkpoints where CNSC approval is required before the licensee can move on to the next stage of the process to return the unit to operation.
The refurbishment will allow the units to continue generating electricity for a further 30 years. In addition, unit 1 will become the first Darlington reactor to produce cobalt-60, a vital radioisotope whose uses include sterilising single-use medical devices, such as syringes, implants, and surgical instruments. About half of the global supply of the isotope is produced in Ontario's Candu reactors.
"With the refurbishment of another unit, OPG, our employees, and our project partners continue to demonstrate that we can execute major nuclear projects not only on time, but ahead of time, and with a clear commitment to quality," OPG President and CEO Ken Hartwick said. "This latest milestone reflects our decade of preparation and planning, as well as our dedication to quality and innovation, and the hard work of our entire project team, vendors, skilled trades, and energy professionals."
"Ontario needs more electricity - 75% more by 2050 - to power new homes, historic new investments and an electrifying economy," the province's Minister of Energy and Electrification Stephen Lecce said. "Delivering this massive clean energy project five months ahead of schedule is a testament to the incredible knowledge and skill of Ontario workers and positions us for success as we build out our plan to meet the soaring energy demand over the next 25 years."
According to a report by the Conference Board of Canada, the Darlington refurbishment project and the subsequent 30 years of station operation are expected to generate a total of CAD90 billion in economic benefits for Ontario and create 14,200 jobs per year.
