The refurbishment project for the Pickering Nuclear Generation Station, valued at $26.8 billion, has officially started as Doug Ford’s government focuses on nuclear energy 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 lifespan of four CANDU reactors by up to 38 years. Lecce noted that this project is expected to create around 30,500 jobs each year during construction and 7,500 jobs across Canada throughout its duration. Site construction commenced on Monday.
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A decade of construction
By the end of September, the four Pickering B nuclear reactors will be taken offline for about ten years. Once everything is complete, the refurbished facility is projected to generate up to 2,200 megawatts of power for approximately 2.2 million homes.
The refurbishment process will involve replacing 1,520 fuel channels, 48 boilers and constructing a deep-water intake that spans 1.5 kilometers.
The reactor refurbishment work is set to begin pending final approval from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission this coming January.
The government anticipates that the refurbishment will contribute $41.6 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product, with over 90% of expenditures remaining 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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