Ontario’s energy minister has revealed that refurbishing four reactors at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, allowing them to operate for nearly four more decades, will cost $26.8 billion.
The province and Ontario Power Generation have been planning this long-term refurbishment for years, and today Minister Stephen Lecce announced that the government has given the green light to OPG’s proposal.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission still needs to approve the project, but OPG aims to begin refurbishment in early 2027.
The CNSC had previously approved a short extension of units 5 to 8 at the Pickering nuclear facility until the end of 2026.
Lecce stated that this project is expected to create over 30,000 jobs during refurbishment and maintain 6,700 jobs once operational, while also boosting GDP and meeting the province’s increasing electricity demands.
Environmental Defence points out that taking Pickering’s reactors offline for most of the next decade will heighten the province’s already rising dependence on natural gas for electricity generation, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions.
This report by The Canadian Press was first Nov. 26, 2025.
Allison Jones, The Canadian Press
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