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The Government of Ontario announced the completion of the refurbishment of Unit 1 at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station five months ahead of schedule, marking a significant milestone in the province’s plan to tackle soaring demand for energy. Refurbishing and returning Unit 1 to service provides 875 megawatts (MW) of reliable, affordable and clean power for the next 30-plus years, enough to power 875,000 homes.
“Ontario needs more electricity – 75 per cent more by 2050 – to power new homes, historic new investments and an electrifying economy,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Electrification. “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.”
The Darlington Refurbishment Project is one of Canada’s largest energy projects. The refurbishment of Unit 1 involved the successful removal and replacement of major components of the reactor and its associated equipment including pressure tubes, calandria tubes and feeder pipes, as well as inspection and upgrades of the Turbine Generator equipment.
According to an independent report by the Conference Board of Canada, the $12.8 billion project, and the subsequent 30 years of station operation, are expected to generate a total of $90 billion in economic benefits for Ontario and create 14,200 jobs per year. With 96 per cent of project costs spent in the province, for every $1 spent on the project, Ontario’s GDP will increase by an average of $1.40.
“Unit 1 is the third unit we will have refurbished months ahead of schedule, safely and with quality,” said Ken Hartwick, OPG President and CEO. “Through the planning, dedication, skill and innovation of OPG and its project partner team, including hundreds of skilled tradespeople, we are now in year 9 of this 10-year refurbishment project execution phase, clearly demonstrating we can complete large, complex nuclear projects on schedule and on budget.
“As we continue refurbishment of Unit 4, we are committed to keeping up our momentum. With the finish line in sight, we are confident we will be able to deliver this project safely and with quality to support Ontario’s electrifying future.”
According to Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), the province’s demand for electricity is forecast to increase by 75 per cent by 2050, the equivalent of adding four and a half cities the size of Toronto to the grid. Continued operation of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station during that period will help tackle the rising demand while reducing emissions, taking the equivalent of two million cars off Ontario’s roads per year.
The Darlington Refurbishment Project will secure 3,500 megawatts of reliable, low cost, and emissions-free power for an additional 30 years.
Unit 1 is the third of four units that have been successfully refurbished to date by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), with the overall project tracking on-time and on-budget. Unit 4 is tracking to be completed by 2026.
The refurbishment of Unit 1 was completed by approximately 6000 Ontario workers over the course of the project, including project management, support services and skilled tradespeople. This includes members of: International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (Boilermakers); United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners (Carpenters); Brick and Allied Craft Union of Canada; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; Canadian Union of Skilled Workers; Insulators; Ironworkers and Rodmen; LiUNA – Laborers International Union of North America; UBC Millwrights; International Union of Operating Engineers; International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Sheetmetal and Roofers; International Brotherhood of Teamsters; United Association of Pipefitters; The Power Workers’ Union; The Society of United Professionals.
“The successful refurbishment of Unit 1 is a good news story for Ontario adding almost 900 MW of reliable clean electricity to the system for the next 30 years. Nuclear power is the backbone of Ontario’s clean electricity system, providing secure, affordable and zero emission baseload electricity to Ontario. The highly skilled and highly trained members of the Power Workers’ Union take tremendous pride in our commitment to the safe and affordable refurbishment and operation of the station,” said Jeff Parnell, president, Power Workers’ Union.
“Congratulations on this well-deserved milestone and we’re so honoured to have been involved in delivering CANDU life extensions safely and efficiently. As the original equipment manufacturer of CANDU technology; our in-depth knowledge of OPG’s processes and operating model, stemming from decades of collaboration, and working hand-in-hand with our joint venture partner Aecon, means we have extensive familiarity with the plant and its operator. As a result, we were able to deliver a world-first innovation during Darlington’s refurbishment: removing calandria tubes and pressure tubes from the CANDU reactors in one extraction instead of two and speeding up the project’s timeline,” said Gary Rose, EVP, Life Extensions and Reactor Services, Nuclear, Canada, AtkinsRéalis.
“Driven by unwavering execution excellence, the completion of the Darlington Unit 1 refurbishment ahead of schedule is an exceptional achievement and I would like to congratulate the entire project team for reaching this remarkable milestone with world-class safety, quality and schedule performance. Aecon is proud of its role as the Canadian constructor on this historic project that will help meet the growing energy demands of future generations in Ontario. We look forward to continuing to successfully implement unit-over-unit lessons learned to deliver this critical refurbishment program – leveraging the proven one team approach between Aecon, AtkinsRéalis and OPG,” said Thomas Clochard, EVP, Nuclear and Civil, Aecon Group Inc.
“Under the collaborative leadership of OPG and the Ontario government, we will continue to provide safe and high-quality services to contribute to the ongoing success of these critical projects. As One Team, the partnership created by OPG will meet the power demands today and into the future for all Ontarians. Congratulations to OPG and to all the dedicated workers who make these accomplishments possible,” said Mark Healy
Regional VP, Black & McDonald.
“BWXT congratulates Ontario Power Generation on the successful completion of the Darlington Unit 1 refurbishment. The Darlington Refurbishment Project is an important investment in the province’s clear energy future that will provide reliable emissions-free power for Ontarians for years to come. This recent milestone could not have been achieved without a continued spirit of collaboration and a relentless pursuit of project excellence. As part of the project team, BWXT is proud to have played a significant role in this recent achievement and we look forward to continued collaboration,” said John MacQuarrie, president, BWXT Commercial Operations. |
