The outgoing president and CEO of Bruce Power says it's the right time to ride off into the sunset.
Duncan Hawthorne says he knew several months ago that the company needed to find a new leader to plan for the future of the world's largest operating nuclear facility.
With Bruce Power committed to refurbishing six reactors over the next two decades, Hawthorne says it's only fair to have a new leader in place to begin that process.
"In the next two or three years, the company has to plan the next phase of refurbishments and I think it's right that the new leader be part of that planning, because I certainly couldn't have stayed long enough to see the projects through to completion," says Hawthorne.
Hawthorne is set to leave his post at the end of April to pursue what he calls unfinished business in his native United Kingdom.
Though he declined to go into specifics of his role, Hawthorne has agreed to join Horizon Nuclear, who are pursuing a six-reactor new build in the U.K.
He points out he left the U.K. in the 1990s out of frustration with the government of the day and its lack of commitment to nuclear builds, so being able to close out his career with a new build in the U.K. is something he could not pass up.
Hawthorne adds it's also a chance to make up for lost time with his family.
"When I left to come to Canada, my daughter was 17 at university. She's now 34 with two children and I've missed all of that. Now, she's been back-and-forth a lot and I've been back-and-forth a lot, but it's a lot of her life I've missed and a lot of my grandkids lives I've missed," says Hawthorne.
Looking back on his 15-year career with Bruce Power, Hawthorne says there have been many memorable moments, but completing the restart of the Bruce-A reactors stands out.
"To look in the control room and see all eight reactors were at full power, that was a very proud moment for me because obviously, there were many people who thought they would never see that day again," says Hawthorne.
Chief Financial Officer Kevin Kelly has assumed the role of acting president while a new full-time replacement for Hawthorne is found, though Hawthorne says he will remain with Bruce Power in an advisory role for the next couple of years.
