The Major Component Replacement (MCR) which the Candu unit has undergone saw robotic tools used on a reactor face to rebuild a Candu reactor for the first time. The project also saw Bruce Power and its partners set a Candu refurbishment record for calandria tube removal by completing it 11 days ahead of schedule.
Unit 3 began its Major Component Replacement outage in March 2023 and was originally scheduled to return to service in January 2027. It was reconnected to the grid in the early hours of 3 June, since when Bruce Power continued with power ascension and the final testing and approvals required for commercial operation. Its early completion “is the most expedient refurbishment in Ontario to date and reinforces the province’s position as a global leader in nuclear energy”, according to Ontario’s Ministry of Energy and Mines.
“The Unit 3 MCR project was delivered safely and successfully, continuing Ontario’s track record of delivering nuclear refurbishments on time, on budget and with quality by a skilled workforce, industry partners and a robust Made-in-Canada supply chain,” Bruce Power said.
The refurbishment means the unit’s life has been extended by more than three decades.
The Major Component Replacement projects are part of Bruce Power’s Life-Extension Program to refurbish Bruce units 3-8, to enable the site to operate into the 2060s (units 1 and 2 have already been refurbished). Unit 6’s MCR was completed ahead of schedule and under budget in 2024, and, with unit 4’s MCR already under way, this represents the midway point for the programme, the company said. Each MCR builds on those that have gone before: unit 3’s successful return to service, with key phases completed ahead of schedule, has been supported by innovation and continuous improvement; record-setting execution in critical work programmes, reflecting advancements in tooling, planning and workforce expertise; and ongoing improvements in efficiency and quality driven by lessons learned from earlier refurbishments.
Provisions built into Bruce Power’s refurbishment agreement with Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator will ensure that Ontario’s citizens benefit from savings realised during the Life-Extension Program and operation of the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station. Bruce said it is expecting to return about CAD150 million (about USD108 million) to the Independent Electricity System Operator as a result of its performance.
“With unit 3 now back in service and providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable electricity to the province, we continue to demonstrate that large-scale nuclear projects in Ontario can be delivered safely, efficiently, and with real long term financial benefits for ratepayers,” said Eric Chassard, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bruce Power. “This achievement reflects the dedication of our workforce, our skilled trades partners, and the strength of our made-in-Canada nuclear industry.”
Bruce Power’s Life‑Extension Program directly and indirectly supports some 22,000 jobs annually and contributes billions of dollars each year to Ontario’s economy.
“When Ontario successfully completed the world’s largest nuclear refurbishment at Darlington ahead of schedule and under budget, critics said it couldn’t be done again. Yet again, we are proving them wrong,” the province’s Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce said.
