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PICKERING, ONT. \u2013\u00a0It\u2019s official. The Ontario government has approved Ontario Power Generation\u2019s (OPG) plan to refurbish four CANDU nuclear reactors at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station.<\/p>\n
According to a release from the province, the $26.8 billion refurbishment will extend the facility\u2019s operations for up to 38 years.<\/p>\n
Pending final licensing approvals from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), OPG will begin the project execution phase to refurbish Pickering \u201cB\u201d units 5 to 8 in early 2027, with completion expected by the mid-2030s.<\/p>\n
Once completed, Pickering will generate an increased capacity of up to 2,200 megawatts (MW) of electricity, which is equivalent to powering 2.2 million homes.<\/p>\n
The project itself is expected to create approximately\u00a030,500\u00a0jobs during refurbishment, while sustaining\u00a06,700\u00a0jobs throughout the station\u2019s operation.<\/p>\n
\u201cOPG will deliver the project using the same disciplined planning, oversight, and partnership model that has kept the \u201d the release reads. \u201cOPG has also committed to investing $100 million with Indigenous-owned companies over the life of the refurbishment project, ensuring that First Nations hosting nuclear facilities share directly in the economic benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n
This news comes after years of developments for the Pickering plant.<\/p>\n
In September 2022,\u00a0\u00a0OPG would continue to operate the \u201cB\u201d units (units 5 to 8) at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station through September 2026, pending CNSC approval, which was given in October 2024, but it was noted further operation of Pickering \u201cB\u201d units would require a complete refurbishment.<\/p>\n
In December 2024, OPG completed the\u00a0\u00a0of the Pickering refurbishment, which included early engineering and design work, as well as securing components that require the longest-lead times.<\/p>\n
Then, in January 2025, the government approved OPG to proceed with the\u00a0, which will continue through 2026. Under this phase, OPG undertook activities to refine project scope and cost, complete engineering deliverables, negotiate commercial contracts and secure spots in the queue for long-lead components, the release adds.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n