| Work Detail |
Bruce Power announced the start of the Unit 4 Major Component Replacement project, marking the the midway point of its Life-Extension Program. The three-year Unit 4 outage represents the middle of the company’s MCR Project that will see Units 3-8 renewed, and is the company’s third MCR, building off the successes in Units 6 and 3 projects. “Our Life-Extension Program and Major Component Replacement is more than a construction project,” said Eric Chassard, Bruce Power President and CEO. “By completing each of the MCR outages safely, on plan, and to a high-quality standard, we are securing the future of the Bruce site, sustaining our communities, and powering Ontario through a time when electricity demand is growing rapidly.” The Unit 3 MCR, which began in March of 2023, continues to progress on plan and on schedule with a return-to-service date for the renewed unit on the horizon for 2026. Overlapping MCR outages will continue on the Bruce site until 2033, including a magnitude of work on that no other utility in the world has faced. According to ReNew Canada’s 2025 Top100 Projects report, Bruce Power’s $13-billion refurbishment is Canada’s third largest infrastructure project (behind British Columbia’s Site C Clean Energy project, and Ontario’s GO On-Corridor Works Expansion project), and is Ontario’s largest clean-energy infrastructure project. Bruce Power’s Life Extension is unique in that it’s being funded through private investment. “To execute a project of this scale and complexity, it takes an ecosystem of nuclear professionals working together toward a common goal,” said Laurent Seigle, Bruce Power’s executive vice president, Projects. “We’re committed to returning these units to service safely and successfully to meet Ontario’s clean energy needs well into the future.” The company, its partners and skilled tradespeople are hitting full stride, building on the strength and innovation garnered through the successful completion of the Unit 6 MCR and the putting those lessons learned into each successive MCR outage to see performance improvements along the way. Innovative new tooling implemented in the Unit 3 MCR outage, including the first robotic tooling used on a reactor face anywhere in the world, has ensured the tradespeople can return the units to service safely, successfully and on schedule. With the Ontario Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) 2025 demand forecast predicting electricity demand could increase by 75 per cent by 2050, these renewed units will continue to power the province when it needs this clean energy the most. “Under our contract with the IESO, subsequent MCRs are expected to improve on cost and schedule by building on lessons learned and experience,” said Rob Hoare, vice president, MCR Execution. “And we’re seeing that happen in real time on this project. Evolutions that were recently completed on Unit 3 have been assessed and improved on for execution in Unit 4. It’s a testament to the world-class team we have and their commitment to continuous learning, proficiency and excellence.” |
