Bruce Power has begun the execution phase of its first major component replacement project, shutting down Unit 6 at the station as it continues a long-term project to extend the life of six units at the site until 2064.
The company said its operations team completed the rundown sequence for Unit 6 and took the unit offline. Between now and 2033, Units 3-8 will be upgraded, replacing the reactor components.
Bruce Power’s overall life extension programme started in January 2016 and will continue until 2053. The major component replacement component of the work, which begins with Unit 6, will take 46 months for each unit.
The company said its operations team completed the rundown sequence for Unit 6 and took the unit offline. Between now and 2033, Units 3-8 will be upgraded, replacing the reactor components.
Bruce Power’s overall life extension programme started in January 2016 and will continue until 2053. The major component replacement component of the work, which begins with Unit 6, will take 46 months for each unit.
Between 2016 and 2020 the company has invested about CAD2.3 billion (€1.6bn) in the project, with the total cost put at around CAD13 billion (€9bn).
The life extension of each unit will add about 30 to 35 years of operational life, while other investments will add a combined 30 reactor years of operational life to the units.
There are eight pressurised heavy-water Candu reactor units at the Bruce site in Ontario. They began commercial operation between September 1977 and May 1987.
