The federal government announced $50 million in funding would be coming to Bruce Power, to support pre-development work for new nuclear generation on the site.
Natural Resources and Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Ontario Energy Minister Todd Smith made the announcement Thursday at the Canadian Nuclear Association Annual Conference in Ottawa.
“The federal government is acting on our commitment to build a net-zero economy that provides clean electricity, economic growth, and good jobs for all Canadians. To help us get there, we are working with the Government of Ontario to ensure Ontario is positioned to achieve a clean, reliable and affordable electricity grid with the expectation that it will comply with the forthcoming federal clean electricity regulations,” Wilkinson said. “Bruce Power has experienced years of success with nuclear energy in Ontario, and this announcement will enable that success to continue, and grow, in the future. This means more reliable and affordable electricity for Canadians, and good jobs and economic opportunities for communities across Ontario.”
The funding announcement marks the federal government's first major investment in expanding a large nuclear plant in decades.
In July, the provincial government announced plans to expand production at Bruce Power, creating up to 4,800 megawatts (MW) of additional capacity.
“Ontario has one of the cleanest electricity grids in the world and the nuclear industry is leading the way,” said Mike Rencheck, Bruce Power’s President and CEO. “This pre-development funding for new nuclear at the Bruce site is a great example of how the federal and provincial governments are working together with the private sector, supporting early Indigenous and community engagement, planning and support for pre-development activities for clean-energy projects that will allow us to meet climate goals to benefit Ontario and all Canadians for the long term.”
The proposed Bruce C site is currently undergoing a multi-year federal Impact Assessment (IA) process.