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The Pickering Nuclear Generation Station refurbishment project, which costs $26.8 billion, has officially begun as Doug Ford’s government turns to nuclear power to meet Ontario’s electricity demands.
“We are marking a national achievement as we begin work on Canada’s largest clean energy infrastructure project and strengthen our made-in-Ontario nuclear supply chain,” Ontario Energy Minister Stephen Lecce said on Monday. “I’m proud that we are not only moving this historic project forward but awarding contracts that will keep more than 90% of project costs right here in Ontario.”
The Ontario Power Generation initiative aims to extend the operational life of four CANDU reactors by up to 38 years. Lecce mentioned that around 30,500 jobs will be created each year during construction, with an additional 7,500 jobs generated across Canada throughout its duration. Site construction kicked off on Monday.
A decade of construction
By the end of September, the four Pickering B nuclear reactors will be taken offline for nearly ten years. When completed, the revamped station is expected to generate up to 2,200 megawatts of power for approximately 2.2 million households.
Refurbishment plans include replacing 1,520 fuel channels, 48 boilers and constructing a 1.5-kilometre deep-water intake.
Work on the reactors will start after receiving final approval from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission this coming January.
The government expects the refurbishment to add $41.6 billion to the national gross domestic product while keeping over 90% of expenses within Ontario and Canada.
“Ontario’s investments in critical infrastructure and our key industries are creating new opportunities for workers across the province,” said Trevor Jones, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “At a time of global economic uncertainty, we are creating good-paying jobs at home and ensuring our workers have access to the training they need to seize them. By expanding access to apprenticeships and skills training, we are building the workforce Ontario needs to deliver major projects like the Pickering refurbishment and support our continued growth.”
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