Ontario Government Announces Refurbishment of Pickering Nuclear Station

The project, aimed at meeting the province's growing electricity demand, is expected to create about 11,000 jobs per year and boost Ontario's GDP by $19.4 billion.

• The Ontario government has announced plans to refurbish the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, potentially extending its operation for another 30 years.
• The refurbishment is in response to a forecasted sharp increase in electricity demand in Ontario over the coming decades.
• The refurbishment project, which is subject to approval by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, is expected to create about 11,000 jobs per year and increase Ontario's GDP by $19.4 billion.
• The four nuclear units to be refurbished are all Candu reactors dating back to the early 1980s, collectively known as Pickering B. The refurbished units would supply 2,000 megawatts of power, comparable to the current output of the existing units.
• The refurbishment is expected to take 11 years, with a total budget yet to be announced. A similar refurbishment of four units at the nearby Darlington nuclear station is more than midway through completion, on a total budget of $12.8 billion.

3 Articles

Financial Post Financial Post CBC