Bruce Power is taking another step ahead in their proposed plan to expanding nuclear generation on the Bruce Power site.
A Request for Information (RFI) process will open in early 2024 to evaluate potential new nuclear technologies for Bruce C.
Bruce Power also established an Advisory Panel with business, industry and labour leaders. The panel will review the economic development, partnerships, supply chain and workforce long-term outlook for Ontario’s nuclear sector.
“Ontario is a global leader when it comes to having a deeply decarbonized electricity grid, thanks in large part to nuclear, and continuing to deliver our Life-Extension program on time and on budget is a core focus for Bruce Power to ensure the province can continue to benefit from its nuclear advantage,” said Mike Rencheck, Bruce Power’s President and CEO. “Looking ahead and evaluating the potential for new nuclear capacity creates a valuable option for the province in future electricity planning. We will carry out this evaluation with a focus on Indigenous and community engagement, a comprehensive technology review and exploring economic development, supply chain and workforce opportunities.”
Bruce Power is pursuing an Impact Assessment (IA) as a planning tool to evaluate the potential for an additional 4,800 MW at a Bruce C nuclear generating station. Bruce Power will explore the latest technology to guide future decisions. The company is also extending the life of the eight Bruce Power operating units to continue producing clean energy and cancer-fighting isotopes through 2064 and beyond.
“With our plan already in place to meet demand this decade, we are working with Bruce Power to start pre-development work that will support future generation options, including reliable, affordable and clean nuclear energy, that will power our province into the future,” said Todd Smith, Ontario’s Minister of Energy. “I’m pleased to see Bruce Power taking this prudent step to evaluate nuclear technologies that demonstrate value for ratepayers, have the greatest potential to stimulate the Ontario economy and that can be constructed within a timeline that meets Ontario’s clean electricity demands.”
Bruce Power promises an open and transparent engagement with Indigenous communities, the local tri-county region and the public prior to any decision-making. Rencheck said that it's the first time in a generation Ontario has explored adding a large new nuclear station, so it will need long-term planning, along with transparent engagement with Indigenous communities and the broader region.
Bruce Power is also collaborating with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to develop a feasibility study for potential future nuclear generation elsewhere in Ontario, that will leverage information from the RFI. The feasibility study will be completed by the end of 2024.
The advisory panel will consist of:
-Marc Arsenault, Business Manager, The Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario
-Guy Lonechild, President and CEO, First Nations Power Authority
-Jeff Beach, President and CEO, Asthma Canada
-Michelle Branigan, Chief Executive Officer, Electricity Human Resources Canada
-Dennis Darby, President and CEO, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters
-Michelle Johnston, President, Society of United Professionals
-Jessica Linthorne, COO, Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII)
-Jeff Parnell, President, Power Workers’ Union
-Daniel Tisch, Incoming CEO of Ontario Chamber of Commerce
-Bill Walker, President, Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI)
-Terry Young, former interim President and CEO, IESO