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120-522: Bruce Nuclear Generating Station is a nuclear power station located on the eastern shore of Lake Huron in Ontario , Canada . It occupies 932 ha (2300 acres) of land. The facility derives its name from Bruce Township , the local municipality when the plant was constructed, now Kincardine due to amalgamation. With eight CANDU pressurized heavy-water reactors , it was the world's largest fully operational nuclear generating station by total reactor count and

240-515: A DCS and significant other work and maintenance (for example, replacement of 30 transformers containing PCBs ). A new fuel bundle design (Low Void Reactivity Fuel, LVRF) was considered, using slightly enriched 1% U-235 fuel pellets, within a CANFLEX 43-element bundle compared to the existing 37-element bundle. In 2006 and 2007, the restart project was judged to be the largest infrastructure project in Canada by ReNew Canada magazine. In April 2007,

360-476: A deep geologic repository for the long-term storage of low and intermediate level waste on lands adjacent to the Western Waste Management Facility. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization is currently seeking a site for a potential repository for the used fuel from all Canadian nuclear reactors. On October 7, 1994, Pickering Unit 7 set the world record for continuous runtime at 894 days,

480-507: A steam turbine connected to a generator that produces electricity . As of September 2023 , the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that there were 410 nuclear power reactors in operation in 32 countries around the world, and 57 nuclear power reactors under construction. Building a nuclear power plant often spans five to ten years, which can accrue significant financial costs, depending on how

600-517: A combined output of 6,384 MW e net (7,276 MW e gross) when all units are online, surpassed now by two South-Korean plants: Kori NPP since 2019 and Hanul NPP since 2022. The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Japan had a larger total output capacity, but it has been out of service since 2011. As of 2008, the Bruce station had three double-circuit 500 kV transmission lines to feed

720-460: A condenser. The condenser is a heat exchanger which is connected to a secondary side such as a river or a cooling tower . The water is then pumped back into the steam generator and the cycle begins again. The water-steam cycle corresponds to the Rankine cycle . The nuclear reactor is the heart of the station. In its central part, the reactor's core produces heat due to nuclear fission. With this heat,

840-442: A coolant is heated as it is pumped through the reactor and thereby removes the energy from the reactor. The heat from nuclear fission is used to raise steam, which runs through turbines , which in turn power the electrical generators. Nuclear reactors usually rely on uranium to fuel the chain reaction. Uranium is a very heavy metal that is abundant on Earth and is found in sea water as well as most rocks. Naturally occurring uranium

960-402: A facility has been completely decommissioned it is released from regulatory control, and the licensee of the station no longer has responsibility for its nuclear safety. Generally speaking, nuclear stations were originally designed for a life of about 30 years. Newer stations are designed for a 40 to 60-year operating life. The Centurion Reactor is a future class of nuclear reactor that

1080-404: A nuclear reactor heats the reactor coolant. The coolant may be water or gas, or even liquid metal, depending on the type of reactor. The reactor coolant then goes to a steam generator and heats water to produce steam. The pressurized steam is then usually fed to a multi-stage steam turbine . After the steam turbine has expanded and partially condensed the steam, the remaining vapor is condensed in

1200-479: A nuclear station is smaller than the fuel cost for operation of coal or gas plants. Since most of the cost of nuclear power plant is capital cost, there is almost no cost saving by running it at less than full capacity. Nuclear power plants are routinely used in load following mode on a large scale in France, although "it is generally accepted that this is not an ideal economic situation for nuclear stations". Unit A at

1320-506: A number of long-established projects are struggling to find financing, notably Belene in Bulgaria and the additional reactors at Cernavodă in Romania , and some potential backers have pulled out. Where cheap gas is available and its future supply relatively secure, this also poses a major problem for nuclear projects. Analysis of the economics of nuclear power must take into account who bears

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1440-444: A previous goal aimed to reduce nuclear electricity generation share to lower than fifty percent by 2025, this target was postponed to 2035 in 2019 and ultimately discarded in 2023. Russia continues to export the most nuclear power plants in the world, with projects across various countries: as of July 2023, Russia was constructing 19 out of 22 reactors constructed by foreign vendors; however, some exporting projects were canceled due to

1560-461: A record that stood for 22 years. It was surpassed by Heysham 2 unit 8 in 2016, a facility located in the UK, owned by EDF. This was subsequently surpassed by OPG's Darlington plant with Unit 1 running 1,106 consecutive days. - In 2019, Pickering set a site capacity factor record of 87.07%, producing 23.6TWh and putting it roughly on-par with the much newer Darlington and Bruce facilities. In January 2016,

1680-509: A reinforced concrete containment. The steam generators are 12 m tall, and weigh 100 tonnes each. Each plant uses three fueling machines, shared between the four reactors, which travel in a duct cut through solid rock beneath the reactors, traversing the entire plant. The duct doubles as part of the pressure relief system, connected to the vacuum building. Each reactor has its own turbine generator set, with one high-pressure turbine and three low-pressure turbines driving one generator. The turbine hall

1800-523: A routine reactor shutdown, and are later processed into sealed Co sources of varying intensities by Nordion . The Bruce nuclear power plant has been producing Co since the 1980s, and almost all of the world's supply of Co comes from various CANDU nuclear reactors, with Bruce being the single largest supplier. As of 2007, Bruce supplied over 40% of the world's Co. This rose to over 50% by 2016, with Pickering supplying approximately another 20% of global demand. In 2016, Bruce extended their contract with Nordion for

1920-817: A separate large horizontal shared steam drum (with one steam drum common to four steam generators), a design dropped in most other plants at the time. Issues related to the AECL requested design of the tube supports caused repair and delay costs, which exceeded the net worth of the builder Babcock & Wilcox Canada . Until they were removed in 1998, Bruce A reactors used unique booster rods to control reactivity. Booster rods contained 93% uranium-235 , and were inserted to overcome reactor poisoning . Bruce B and all other Ontario Hydro reactors instead use absorber rods called "adjusters" which are normally inserted and are removed to overcome xenon poisoning. Bruce A demonstrated an "excellent" early operating history. Together with Pickering A ,

2040-587: A significantly different evaluation of the economics of new nuclear power stations. Following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan , costs are likely to go up for currently operating and new nuclear power stations, due to increased requirements for on-site spent fuel management and elevated design basis threats. However many designs, such as the currently under construction AP1000, use passive nuclear safety cooling systems, unlike those of Fukushima I which required active cooling systems, which largely eliminates

2160-413: A slight decrease from the 2653 TWh produced in 2021. Thirteen countries generated at least one-quarter of their electricity from nuclear sources. Notably, France relies on nuclear energy for about 70% of its electricity needs, while Ukraine , Slovakia , Belgium , and Hungary source around half their power from nuclear. Japan , which previously depended on nuclear for over a quarter of its electricity,

2280-427: A small enough volume to become supercritical. Most reactors require continuous temperature control to prevent a core meltdown , which has occurred on a few occasions through accident or natural disaster, releasing radiation and making the surrounding area uninhabitable. Plants must be defended against theft of nuclear material and attack by enemy military planes or missiles. The most serious accidents to date have been

2400-693: A small payment for Bruce's unique ability to curtail up to 2400 MW of generation (total across all eight units – up to 300 MW per individual unit) via steam bypass operation during periods of surplus generation. During the course of the refurbishment of Units 3–6, the price will be raised in steps to cover individual reactor refurbishment costs, with each increase starting 12 months prior to the start of each individual refurbishment. Each increase will last only until that unit's refurbishment costs, which are fixed prior to refurbishment start, have been recovered. The average price per MWh that will be paid to Bruce Power for all electricity generated from 2016 to 2064 (covering

2520-611: A statement via Twitter that the alert had been sent in error, and a second emergency alert was issued at around 9:10 a.m. with a similar message cancelling the previous alert. Solicitor General Sylvia Jones stated that the alert was accidentally issued during a "routine training exercise" by Ontario's emergency operations centre . The incident prompted criticism from government officials, including MPP Peter Tabuns , Pickering mayor Dave Ryan, and Toronto mayor John Tory . The false alarm also prompted renewed interest in preparedness for actual nuclear accidents : OPG reported

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2640-431: A surge in the sales of potassium iodide kits via its "Prepare to Be Safe" website between January 12 and 13, increasing from its monthly average of 100 to 200, to over 32,000. The website is applicable for those who live within 50 kilometres (31 mi) of the plant; per Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) requirements, OPG is required to distribute these pills to all residences within 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) of

2760-482: A three-year research study of offshore floating nuclear power generation. In October 2022, NuScale Power and Canadian company Prodigy announced a joint project to bring a North American small modular reactor based floating plant to market. The economics of nuclear power plants is a controversial subject, and multibillion-dollar investments ride on the choice of an energy source. Nuclear power stations typically have high capital costs, but low direct fuel costs, with

2880-580: A worldwide perspective, long-term waste storage costs are uncertain. Construction, or capital cost aside, measures to mitigate global warming such as a carbon tax or carbon emissions trading , increasingly favor the economics of nuclear power. Further efficiencies are hoped to be achieved through more advanced reactor designs, Generation III reactors promise to be at least 17% more fuel efficient, and have lower capital costs, while Generation IV reactors promise further gains in fuel efficiency and significant reductions in nuclear waste. In Eastern Europe,

3000-484: Is about 1/3 of solar and 1/45 of natural gas and 1/75 of coal . Newer models, like HPR1000 , produce even less carbon dioxide during the whole operating life, as little as 1/8 of power plants using gen II reactors for 1.31g/kWh. Pickering Nuclear Generating Station A single 1.8 MWe wind turbine , named the OPG 7 commemorative turbine , was installed on the site of the generating station until October 2019, when it

3120-453: Is about 400 m long at each plant and houses the four turbine generator sets. Cooling water is taken from Lake Huron. There is (originally) one control room per 4 reactors. Construction of Bruce A began in 1969, making it the successor to the Pickering A plant . Bruce A units were originally rated at 750 MWe net / 805 MWe gross, which was later increased to 769 MWe net / 825 MWe gross. As of 2017

3240-520: Is anticipated to resume similar levels of nuclear energy utilization. Over the last 15 years, the United States has seen a significant improvement in the operational performance of its nuclear power plants, enhancing their utilization and efficiency, adding the output equivalent to 19 new 1000 MWe reactors without actual construction. In France, nuclear power plants still produce over sixty percent of this country's total power generation in 2022. While

3360-503: Is being designed to last 100 years. One of the major limiting wear factors is the deterioration of the reactor's pressure vessel under the action of neutron bombardment, however in 2018 Rosatom announced it had developed a thermal annealing technique for reactor pressure vessels which ameliorates radiation damage and extends service life by between 15 and 30 years. Nuclear stations are used primarily for base load because of economic considerations. The fuel cost of operations for

3480-410: Is called an over-poisoned reaction guaranteed shutdown. ) There are, however, a number of systems and structures in common between the two stations; the most notable of these is the shared vacuum building, a negative pressure containment system. The operation of Pickering A and B was unified in 2010, to reduce costs now that Pickering A Units 2 and 3 are shut down in safe storage. On December 31, 1997

3600-431: Is found in two different isotopes : uranium-238 (U-238), accounting for 99.3% and uranium-235 (U-235) accounting for about 0.7%. U-238 has 146 neutrons and U-235 has 143 neutrons. Different isotopes have different behaviors. For instance, U-235 is fissile which means that it is easily split and gives off a lot of energy making it ideal for nuclear energy. On the other hand, U-238 does not have that property despite it being

3720-557: Is supported by OPG stating that the project was completed on time and on budget. The used nuclear fuel and some refurbishment waste generated by the plant sits on-site at the Pickering Waste Management Facility. All operational low and intermediate-level waste is transported to OPG's Western Waste Management Facility at the Bruce nuclear site near Kincardine, Ontario . OPG has proposed the construction and operation of

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3840-429: Is the only nuclear facility that does not use a natural body of water for cooling, instead it uses treated sewage from the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. The water coming from the cooling body of water is either pumped back to the water source at a warmer temperature or returns to a cooling tower where it either cools for more uses or evaporates into water vapor that rises out the top of the tower. The water level in

3960-486: The BWR , the steam is directed into the suppression chamber and condenses there. The chambers on a heat exchanger are connected to the intermediate cooling circuit. The main condenser is a large cross-flow shell and tube heat exchanger that takes wet vapor, a mixture of liquid water and steam at saturation conditions, from the turbine-generator exhaust and condenses it back into sub-cooled liquid water so it can be pumped back to

4080-611: The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) renewed Bruce Power's operating licences for 5 years until 2014 and gave permission to refuel units 1 and 2. In May 2014, the CNSC extended the licence to May 2015 and public hearings were scheduled for early 2015 in Ottawa and Kincardine. A new operating licence was granted for 1 June 2015, until 31 May 2020 and was renewed again from 1 October 2018 until 30 September 2028. In 2023, it

4200-491: The Russian invasion of Ukraine . Meanwhile, China continues to advance in nuclear energy: having 25 reactors under construction by late 2023, China is the country with the most reactors being built at one time in the world. Nuclear decommissioning is the dismantling of a nuclear power station and decontamination of the site to a state no longer requiring protection from radiation for the general public. The main difference from

4320-769: The Soviet Union . The world's first full scale power station, Calder Hall in the United Kingdom , opened on October 17, 1956 and was also meant to produce plutonium . The world's first full scale power station solely devoted to electricity production was the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania , United States, which was connected to the grid on December 18, 1957. The conversion to electrical energy takes place indirectly, as in conventional thermal power stations. The fission in

4440-656: The UAE launched the Arab region's first-ever nuclear energy plant. Unit 1 of the Barakah plant in the Al Dhafrah region of Abu Dhabi commenced generating heat on the first day of its launch, while the remaining 3 Units are being built. However, Nuclear Consulting Group head, Paul Dorfman, warned the Gulf nation's investment into the plant as a risk "further destabilizing the volatile Gulf region, damaging

4560-535: The steam drum is integral to each steam generator in a "light bulb" arrangement, eliminating the horizontal cross-drum. In 1990, a nine-week "impairment" of Bruce B was created when a technician incorrectly set the calibration on radioactivity monitors. In 2007, Bruce B 7 was the top performing nuclear reactor in Ontario with 97.2% performance. and in 2009, Bruce B 5 was first with 95.4% performance. Bruce B 5 Bruce B 6 Bruce B 7 Bruce B 8 The graph represents

4680-476: The $ 3.929 billion estimate in 1987 dollars is $ 8.667 billion, putting Bruce B under budget. In 2010, Bruce Power was paid approximately $ 60 million for contracted, but unused power. On 1 January 2016, Bruce Power began receiving a single contracted price for all output from the site of CA$ 65.73 per megawatt-hour (MWh). This price is partially adjusted annually to account for inflation and wage growth, with additional monthly fuel cost adjustments, and it includes

4800-526: The $ 508 million estimate in 1973 dollars is $ 698 million, a 2.6% overrun. The 1974 estimated cost for the four Pickering "B" units was $ 1.585 billion. Final cost was $ 3.846 billion (1986 dollars). Adjusted for inflation, the $ 1.585 billion estimate in 1986 dollars is $ 4.082 billion, putting Pickering B under budget. According to Ontario's FAO, the cost for refitting and restarting the Pickering A units deviated significantly from projections. - Pickering Unit 4

4920-424: The 1970s and 1980s, when it "reached an intensity unprecedented in the history of technology controversies," in some countries. Proponents argue that nuclear power is a sustainable energy source which reduces carbon emissions and can increase energy security if its use supplants a dependence on imported fuels. Proponents advance the notion that nuclear power produces virtually no air pollution, in contrast to

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5040-485: The 1979 Three Mile Island accident , the 1986 Chernobyl disaster , and the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster , corresponding to the beginning of the operation of generation II reactors . Professor of sociology Charles Perrow states that multiple and unexpected failures are built into society's complex and tightly coupled nuclear reactor systems. Such accidents are unavoidable and cannot be designed around. An interdisciplinary team from MIT has estimated that given

5160-511: The Bruce A and Darlington reactors in order to fully cover Pickering's production (which will end when the plant is decommissioned in 2024) in addition to the inevitable gaps in Co production capacity that will be caused by the upcoming refurbishments of six of Bruce's reactors (Units A 3–4 & Units B 5–8), as well as all four of Darlington's reactors. They are also working on expanding the production of HSA Co to more reactors. In 2017, Bruce Power became

5280-427: The Bruce A units were capable of producing up to 779 MWe net according to IESO generator data. Each reactor requires 6240 fuel bundles that weigh 22.5 kg each, or about 140 tonnes of fuel. There are 480 fuel channels per reactor, containing 13 bundles each. There is storage capacity for about 23,000 bundles. Approximately 18 bundles are discharged per reactor per day. The original Bruce A steam generators utilized

5400-559: The Brussels supplementary convention, and the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage . However states with a majority of the world's nuclear power stations, including the U.S., Russia, China and Japan, are not party to international nuclear liability conventions. The nuclear power debate about the deployment and use of nuclear fission reactors to generate electricity from nuclear fuel for civilian purposes peaked during

5520-566: The Environment and Natural Resources. The Emergency Core Cooling System was used to prevent a meltdown. In 1995 and 1996, the AECB noted many safety concerns with the plant, and the generating station was shut in 1997 after peer reviews describing poor safety practices at the plant became public. An Independent, Integrated Performance Assessment report noted that Pickering stations A and B were cited for breaking regulation 15 times and having 13 fires for

5640-539: The Great Lakes caused controversy. The CNSC approved the plan in February 2011. Nuclear power station A nuclear power plant ( NPP ), also known as a nuclear power station ( NPS ), nuclear generating station ( NGS ) or atomic power station ( APS ) is a thermal power station in which the heat source is a nuclear reactor . As is typical of thermal power stations, heat is used to generate steam that drives

5760-627: The North American supply of cobalt-60 , a medical isotope . In August 2023, the OPG Board of Directors agreed with and authorized the submission of the feasibility assessment for the refurbishment of the Pickering B plant to the province as well as to proceed with preliminary planning and preparation activities for the project. This feasibility report was given to the Minister of Energy in January 2024 but

5880-556: The Pickering A Review Panel released their report in December 2003, which acknowledged the large cost over-runs and delays, attributing blame to bad management. The Epp Review estimated the cost of restarting the remaining three reactors at $ 3 – 4 billion and supported the continuation of the project. The government of Dalton McGuinty appointed Epp to the Ontario Power Generation Review headed by John Manley to examine

6000-433: The Pickering station. The Pickering station is a large multi-unit nuclear facility, comprising six operating CANDU nuclear reactors with a total output of 3,114 MW when all units are on line, and two non-operating units with a total output of 1,030 MW currently shut down in safe storage. The facility is connected to the North American power grid via numerous 230 kV and 500 kV transmission lines. The facility

6120-636: The Province of Ontario approved plans to pursue continued operation of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station to 2024. The extension was intended to ensure sufficient base load electricity was available during refurbishment of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station and the initial Bruce Nuclear refurbishments. By 2016, OPG had begun planning for the end of commercial operations at the generating station, including

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6240-452: The annual electricity generation at the site (A and B combined) in GWh. In 2013, it was about 30% of Ontario's production. As of the end of 2023, the total lifetime output of the facility was 1,606,926 GWh. In 2009 total site output hit 1,002 TWh, making it the first nuclear power plant in the world to produce 1 PWh (1,000 TWh). Gravelines in France achieved the same in 2010. As of

6360-517: The auditor general reviewed the refurbishment deal In August 2007, estimated cost for the project had grown to $ 5.25 billion when Bruce Power decided to replace all 480 fuel channels in Unit ;4, which will extend its working life to 2036, in line with the other 3 units of Bruce A. In 2008, due to difficulties developing the necessary robotics, the estimated cost of restarting Units 1 and 2 rose between $ 400 and $ 700 million. As of 2008,

6480-464: The boiler. In October 1995, after about 18 years of operation, unit 2 was taken out of service. In 2005 (after 9 years of being idle) refurbishment started. In October 2012, it resumed operation. In 1982, Unit 3 set a then world record of 494 days of continuous operation and as of 1984 Bruce A was the most reliable multi-unit station in the world. From April 1998 onward, Bruce A3 remained idle for 6 years, returning to service in January 2004 (at which time

6600-552: The chief viable alternative of fossil fuel. Proponents also believe that nuclear power is the only viable course to achieve energy independence for most Western countries. They emphasize that the risks of storing waste are small and can be further reduced by using the latest technology in newer reactors, and the operational safety record in the Western world is excellent when compared to the other major kinds of power plants. Opponents say that nuclear power poses many threats to people and

6720-457: The containment boundary. Pickering has round domes which enclose much of the secondary cooling equipment. Bruce A was projected to cost CA$ 0.9 billion in 1969. Actual cost was $ 1.8 billion (in 1979 dollars). Adjusted for inflation, the $ 930 million estimate in 1979 dollars is $ 1.88 billion, putting Bruce A under budget. Bruce B was projected to cost $ 3.929 billion in 1976. Actual cost was $ 5.994 billion (in 1987 dollars). Adjusted for inflation,

6840-523: The continued supply of Co to cover the entire projected post-refurbishment life of the Bruce reactors, which are expected to operate until 2064. Bruce also began producing High Specific Activity (HSA) Co in 2016, which is designed for highly specialized medical uses such as cancer treatment and had been primarily produced at the NRU reactor for the past 60+ years (which was originally scheduled to be shut down in 2016, but will be kept online until 31 March 2018 due to

6960-485: The costs of fuel extraction, processing, use and spent fuel storage internalized costs. Therefore, comparison with other power generation methods is strongly dependent on assumptions about construction timescales and capital financing for nuclear stations. Cost estimates take into account station decommissioning and nuclear waste storage or recycling costs in the United States due to the Price Anderson Act . With

7080-424: The destruction of a turbine in operation from flying towards the reactor. In the case of a pressurized water reactor, the steam turbine is separated from the nuclear system. To detect a leak in the steam generator and thus the passage of radioactive water at an early stage, an activity meter is mounted to track the outlet steam of the steam generator. In contrast, boiling water reactors pass radioactive water through

7200-458: The dismantling of other power stations is the presence of radioactive material that requires special precautions to remove and safely relocate to a waste repository. Decommissioning involves many administrative and technical actions. It includes all clean-up of radioactivity and progressive demolition of the station. Once a facility is decommissioned, there should no longer be any danger of a radioactive accident or to any persons visiting it. After

7320-497: The eight units achieved an overall average capability factor of 83% over the initial five-year period. However, by 2001, when Bruce Power took the lease, all Bruce A units were laid-up. In 1981, Unit 1 was ranked the top reactor in the world with a 97% availability factor. In December 1997, after about 20 years of operation, it was out of service. In 2005 (after 7 years of being idle) refurbishment started. In September 2012 (15 years out of service) it resumed operation. In 1982, Unit 2

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7440-401: The end of 2020, the 8 Bruce units had produced a combined total of 1,479.59 TWh. After Units 1–2 completed refurbishment activities and were brought back online in 2012, Bruce became the largest operating nuclear generation facility in the world by both the number of currently operational reactors and total net output capacity, having a total of 8 operational CANDU nuclear reactors with

7560-534: The energy-intensive stages of the nuclear fuel chain are considered, from uranium mining to nuclear decommissioning , nuclear power is not a low-carbon electricity source despite the possibility of refinement and long-term storage being powered by a nuclear facility. Those countries that do not contain uranium mines cannot achieve energy independence through existing nuclear power technologies. Actual construction costs often exceed estimates, and spent fuel management costs are difficult to define. On 1 August 2020,

7680-518: The entire refurbishment period for Units 3–6 plus the entire expected remaining post-refurbishment lifetimes of all eight Bruce Power reactors (including the two that were already refurbished) was estimated to be approximately CA$ 80.6 /MWh in 2017 dollars by the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario. In contrast, the estimated average price of nuclear electricity from all three Ontario nuclear plants during that same 2016–2064 period

7800-402: The environment and raising the possibility of nuclear proliferation." Nuclear power plants do not produce greenhouse gases during operation. Older nuclear power plants, like ones using second-generation reactors , produce approximately the same amount of carbon dioxide during the whole life cycle of nuclear power plants for an average of about 11g/kWh, as much power generated by wind , which

7920-775: The environment, and that costs do not justify benefits. Threats include health risks and environmental damage from uranium mining , processing and transport, the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation or sabotage, and the problem of radioactive nuclear waste . Another environmental issue is discharge of hot water into the sea. The hot water modifies the environmental conditions for marine flora and fauna. They also contend that reactors themselves are enormously complex machines where many things can and do go wrong, and there have been many serious nuclear accidents . Critics do not believe that these risks can be reduced through new technology , despite rapid advancements in containment procedures and storage methods. Opponents argue that when all

8040-411: The environment. In addition, many reactors are equipped with a dome of concrete to protect the reactor against both internal casualties and external impacts. The purpose of the steam turbine is to convert the heat contained in steam into mechanical energy. The engine house with the steam turbine is usually structurally separated from the main reactor building. It is aligned so as to prevent debris from

8160-513: The expected growth of nuclear power from 2005 to 2055, at least four serious nuclear accidents would be expected in that period. The MIT study does not take into account improvements in safety since 1970. Nuclear power works under an insurance framework that limits or structures accident liabilities in accordance with the Paris Convention on Third Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy ,

8280-541: The first Canadian recipient of a Top Innovative Practice (TIP) award from the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) for its ongoing work with Nordion to produce cobalt-60. Bruce Power is working with Framatome to develop the capability to "produce shorter half-life radioisotopes (such as molybdenum-99 , lutetium-177 and iridium-192 )" using Areva's proprietary technology for the on-line production of radioisotopes in heavy water reactors. Areva will design and supply

8400-430: The four Pickering A reactors, along with the remaining three units at Bruce A, were shut down by Ontario Hydro for safety reasons and placed in lay-up. Specific to Pickering A, four years earlier the AECB had required mandatory upgrades to the safe shutdown system be completed by the end of 1997, which differed from that at the other three plants. Pickering A featured a moderator dump as its 2nd shutdown system, and this

8520-406: The future role of Ontario Power Generation (OPG) in the province's electricity market , examine its corporate and management structure, and decide whether the public utility should proceed with refurbishing three more nuclear reactors at the Pickering nuclear power plant. The report recommended proceeding with the restart of Pickering “A” reactors 1, 2, and 3, sequentially. The report argued that

8640-472: The general worldwide lack of sufficient replacement medical isotope production capacity for several critical isotopes such as molybdenum-99 ). As the NRU produces over two-thirds of the world's HSA Co, Bruce's ability to supply HSA Co will become critical to help fill the immense production gap left by the NRU once it is decommissioned in 2018. OPG and Bruce Power are collaborating on an effort to expand Co production to

8760-406: The hot coolant is used as a heat source for a boiler, and the pressurized steam from that drives one or more steam turbine driven electrical generators . In the event of an emergency, safety valves can be used to prevent pipes from bursting or the reactor from exploding. The valves are designed so that they can derive all of the supplied flow rates with little increase in pressure. In the case of

8880-414: The hot pressure tube to sag and touch the inside of the cold calandria tube leading to hydrogen enrichment of the cooler areas. This created a series of small cracks which linked up and caused the long rupture. There was some local fuel damage and the reactor was safely shut down by the operators with no increase in radioactive emissions. The eventual resolution was Large Scale Fuel Channel Replacement and all

9000-517: The initial investments are financed. Because of this high construction cost and lower operations, maintenance, and fuel costs, nuclear plants are usually used for base load generation, because this maximizes the hours over which the fixed cost of construction can be amortized. Nuclear power plants have a carbon footprint comparable to that of renewable energy such as solar farms and wind farms , and much lower than fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal . Nuclear power plants are among

9120-516: The last 20 years". The line was completed in June 2012, several months ahead of schedule, with over 700 towers built for the 180 kilometre line to Milton. The project ranked 45th in Renew Canada's annual list. Compared to the other major Canadian nuclear power plant built earlier, Pickering station , the Bruce reactors have higher power output, achieved by: increasing the number of fuel channels, increasing

9240-400: The major load centres in southern Ontario, in addition to three double-circuit 230 kV lines serving the local area. These circuits are connected via two high voltage switchyards owned and operated by Hydro One . In 2006, OPA had proposed increasing transmission line capacity, at a cost of between $ 200–600 million, described as "the largest electricity transmission investment in Ontario in

9360-502: The material condition of these two units. Unit 1 was returned to service in November 2005. The graph represents the annual electricity generation at the site (A and B combined) in GWh. As of the end of 2023, the total lifetime output of the facility was 972,252 GWh. Ontario Hydro estimated the construction cost for the four Pickering "A" units at $ 508 million in 1965. Actual cost was $ 716 million (in 1973 dollars). Adjusted for inflation,

9480-535: The need to spend more on redundant back up safety equipment. According to the World Nuclear Association , as of March 2020: The Russian state nuclear company Rosatom is the largest player in international nuclear power market, building nuclear plants around the world. Whereas Russian oil and gas were subject to international sanctions after the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Rosatom

9600-473: The now decommissioned German Biblis Nuclear Power Plant was designed to modulate its output 15% per minute between 40% and 100% of its nominal power. Russia has led in the practical development of floating nuclear power stations , which can be transported to the desired location and occasionally relocated or moved for easier decommissioning. In 2022, the United States Department of Energy funded

9720-520: The number of bundles per channel, and a change in the fuel bundle itself. At Bruce, the fuelling equipment is shared by the four reactors of each plant, while at Pickering each reactor had a fuelling machine. The Bruce fuelling machine and fuel channel end fitting design (mostly by Canadian General Electric ) is based on the Nuclear Power Demonstration design. The Pickering design by AECL was based on Douglas Point. The building design of

9840-562: The number of currently operational reactors until 2016, when it was exceeded in nameplate capacity by South Korea's Kori Nuclear Power Plant . The station is the largest employer in Bruce County , with over 4000 workers. Formerly known as the Bruce Nuclear Power Development (BNPD), the facility was constructed in stages between 1970 and 1987 by the provincial Crown corporation , Ontario Hydro . In April 1999 Ontario Hydro

9960-458: The panel. Numerous changes in executive-level staff and project management strategy were made for the follow-on project to refit Unit 1. The experience with the return to service of Pickering A Unit 1 was significantly different from Unit 4, with a much tighter adherence to schedule and budget. In August 2005, the OPG Board of Directors announced that Units 2 and 3 would not be returned to service due to specific technical and cost risks surrounding

10080-445: The plant by at least another 30 years. On October 1st, 2024 at 11PM, Pickering 1 was removed from service as planned, as part of the A plant shutdown process. A serious incident occurred on 1 August 1983. Pressure tube G16 in the Pickering A Unit 2 reactor developed a 2 metre long split. The reactor was safely shut down and the damage investigated. The cause was found to be the mis-location of annulus gas spacer springs which allowed

10200-416: The plant design." Cobalt-60 (Co) can be produced in a CANDU reactor by using adjuster rods made primarily out of Co (instead of the normal stainless steel), which is slowly transmuted into Co via neutron activation (Co + n → Co). These now-intensely-radioactive cobalt-60 adjuster rods are then "harvested" (removed and replaced with fresh Co adjuster rods) after one to three years of use in the reactor during

10320-486: The potential new build at Darlington. In September 2022, the Province of Ontario announced that it supported an extension of Pickering's operation from 2024 to 2026. Simultaneously, it announced that it had requested OPG to update feasibility studies on the potential refurbishment of the four units of Pickering B. In its announcement, the Province stated that continued operation of the station would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2.1 megatonnes in 2026, as well as increasing

10440-481: The potential repurposing of the Pickering site location. OPG will begin the longer term decommissioning process if refurbishment is not pursued. The first step in the long-term decommissioning process is to layup the reactors and place them into safe storage. Pickering staff will have future employment opportunities placing the Pickering units in a safe storage state, at the Darlington refurbishment and operations, or at

10560-527: The pressure tubes were replaced in all Pickering A reactors. The new pressure tubes were supported by an improved design of the annulus gas spacer springs. Since then, careful monitoring of the location of the annulus gas spacer rings has been a significant part of routine reactor inspections. On December 10, 1994 there was a loss of coolant accident. It is said to be the most serious accident in Canadian history (June 2001) by The Standing Senate Committee on Energy,

10680-717: The problems with the Pickering restart. The review panel was established in May 2003. Unit 4 was refitted and then restarted in Sept. 2003. The election of the Ontario Liberal Party in October 2003 delayed action on the Epp report. In late 2003, the new government fired the top three executives of OPG for botching the Unit 4 restoration, which was years late and millions of dollars over budget. Mr. Epp and

10800-466: The project remained on schedule. In January 2010, up to 217 workers were potentially exposed to radiation during the refurbishment. 27 workers may have received 5 mSv , a level well below the level that can affect human health. Only one lab in Canada (at Chalk River ) was qualified to do the testing. Bruce Power had to seek permission to use alternative labs. In 2010, a plan to transport decommissioned, low-level radioactive steam generators to Sweden via

10920-474: The prospect that all spent nuclear fuel could potentially be recycled by using future reactors, generation IV reactors are being designed to completely close the nuclear fuel cycle . However, up to now, there has not been any actual bulk recycling of waste from a NPP, and on-site temporary storage is still being used at almost all plant sites due to construction problems for deep geological repositories . Only Finland has stable repository plans, therefore from

11040-427: The reactor by the condensate and feedwater pumps. In the main condenser, the wet vapor turbine exhaust come into contact with thousands of tubes that have much colder water flowing through them on the other side. The cooling water typically come from a natural body of water such as a river or lake. Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station , located in the desert about 97 kilometres (60 mi) west of Phoenix, Arizona,

11160-425: The reactor differs: Bruce uses a squarish "close-in" design, in which as much of the equipment as possible is arranged outside the main containment envelope for easier access during maintenance and emergencies. The steam generators penetrate the containment. The primary coolant pumps and primary piping systems are inside the containment enclosure, but the pump motors are outside containment and the drive shaft seals form

11280-424: The reactor output from the generator electrical output. The three units were reconnected to the grid within 5 hours. Bruce A and B stations were designed to operate indefinitely while disconnected from the grid. "Contrary to popular belief, the electrical generators of nuclear plants can follow the load demands of the electrical grid provided specific engineered systems to permit this mode of operation are included in

11400-538: The restart of units 2 and 3 would be contingent on whether “OPG will be able to succeed at the Unit 1 project." The McGuinty government accepted the OPG Review Committee's recommendation and allowed the refit and restart of reactor 1. The anti-nuclear group Sierra Club of Canada criticized the 2004 OPG Review Committee report for not attributing any blame to the problems of nuclear technology, noting that there were no energy or environmental experts appointed to

11520-540: The risks of future uncertainties. To date all operating nuclear power stations were developed by state-owned or regulated utilities where many of the risks associated with construction costs, operating performance, fuel price, and other factors were borne by consumers rather than suppliers. Many countries have now liberalized the electricity market where these risks and the risk of cheaper competitors emerging before capital costs are recovered, are borne by station suppliers and operators rather than consumers, which leads to

11640-632: The safest modes of electricity generation, comparable to solar and wind power plants. The first time that heat from a nuclear reactor was used to generate electricity was on December 21, 1951, at the Experimental Breeder Reactor I , powering four light bulbs. On June 27, 1954, the world's first nuclear power station to generate electricity for a power grid , the Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant , commenced operations in Obninsk , in

11760-407: The same element. Different isotopes also have different half-lives . U-238 has a longer half-life than U-235, so it takes longer to decay over time. This also means that U-238 is less radioactive than U-235. Since nuclear fission creates radioactivity, the reactor core is surrounded by a protective shield. This containment absorbs radiation and prevents radioactive material from being released into

11880-693: The steam generator and the nuclear reactor is controlled using the feedwater system. The feedwater pump has the task of taking the water from the condensate system, increasing the pressure and forcing it into either the steam generators—in the case of a pressurized water reactor — or directly into the reactor, for boiling water reactors . Continuous power supply to the plant is critical to ensure safe operation. Most nuclear stations require at least two distinct sources of offsite power for redundancy. These are usually provided by multiple transformers that are sufficiently separated and can receive power from multiple transmission lines. In addition, in some nuclear stations,

12000-487: The steam turbine, so the turbine is kept as part of the radiologically controlled area of the nuclear power station. The electric generator converts mechanical power supplied by the turbine into electrical power. Low-pole AC synchronous generators of high rated power are used. A cooling system removes heat from the reactor core and transports it to another area of the station, where the thermal energy can be harnessed to produce electricity or to do other useful work. Typically

12120-449: The system for installation in the existing Bruce units. In June 2018, Bruce Power and ITG (a subsidiary of Isotopen Technologien München (ITM)) announced the start of a joint effort to explore producing lutetium-177 in Bruce's reactors, with ITG planned to manage the development, processing, and distribution of lutetium-177. The initial Isotope Production System (IPS), producing Lu-177, came online in January 2022. Retubing of Bruce A units

12240-477: The turbine generator can power the station's loads while the station is online, without requiring external power. This is achieved via station service transformers which tap power from the generator output before they reach the step-up transformer. Nuclear power plants generate approximately 10% of global electricity, sourced from around 440 reactors worldwide. They are recognized as a significant provider of low-carbon electricity , accounting for about one-quarter of

12360-503: The unit was 32 years old). Refurbishment in unit 3 began in March 2023, with the plan being to return to service in 2026. In 1990, a software error in unit 4 caused a fueling-machine error, damaging a fuel channel. In 1993, reactor power was reduced to 60% until various loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) scenarios could be addressed. Subsequently, Bruce A units returned to 89% of rated power. In March 1998, after about 19 years of operation, unit 4

12480-455: The world's supply in this category. As of 2020, nuclear power stood as the second-largest source of low-carbon energy, making up 26% of the total. Nuclear power facilities are active in 32 countries or regions, and their influence extends beyond these nations through regional transmission grids, especially in Europe. In 2022, nuclear power plants generated 2545 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity,

12600-502: The year. "Also of concern was the high failure rate of persons being tested for positions as nuclear operators. At Pickering A only 65% of those taking the test passed, while at Pickering B the rate was just 56%." On March 14, 2011, there was a leak of 73 cubic metres of demineralized water into Lake Ontario from a failed pump seal. There was negligible risk to the public according to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission . On January 12, 2020 at 7:24 a.m. ET , an emergency alert

12720-465: Was announced that the site could potentially open a third nuclear power station. Bruce C was first proposed in the late 2000s, however it was not proceeded with at the time. In 2023, the Bruce generating station produced more than 45 billion kWh, about 7% of the total Canadian electricity consumption. The power plant comprises eight CANDU pressurized heavy-water reactors arranged into two plants (A and B) with four reactors each. Each reactor stands within

12840-461: Was deemed too slow compared to the poison injection system that later plants used, including Pickering B. Ontario Hydro committed to the refit and restart project, but it underwent long delays and large cost over-runs. Often called a refurbishment, the return to service of Pickering A units 1 and 4 did not involve refurbishing the reactor cores, which involves replacing the calandria tubes, pressure tubes, feeders and end fittings. The main scope of work

12960-530: Was dismantled. The reactors can be classified as follows: PICKERING A PICKERING B The site was once Squires Beach located west of Duffins Creek. The facility was constructed in stages between 1965 and 1986 by the provincial Crown corporation , Ontario Hydro , with significant completion of Station A scheduled for 1971. In April 1999, Ontario Hydro was split into five component Crown corporations with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) taking over all electricity generating stations. OPG continues to operate

13080-409: Was economically advantageous to do so, since refurbishment would have been soon required. The goal is to keep units 1 & 2 in service until 2043, 66 years after original commissioning. The refurbishment required pressure tube and calandria tube replacement, steam generator replacement, shutdown System 2 (SDS2) enhancement, an upgrade of turbine control systems, replacing original analog controls with

13200-641: Was estimated to be CA$ 80.7 /MWh in 2017 dollars, the 2017–2018 unit cost of Ontario nuclear power was CA$ 69 /MWh, and the current price of electricity for "most residential and small business customers" was CA$ 114.9 /MWh (prior to the Fair Hydro Plan) or CA$ 97.6 (after the Fair Hydro Plan). During the Northeast Blackout of 2003 three Bruce B units continued running at 60% reactor power and 0% grid electrical power. They were able to do so for hours, because they had steam bypass systems designed to de-couple

13320-414: Was issued via Alert Ready on all radio stations, television stations, television providers, and wireless networks in the province of Ontario, containing an advisory of an unspecified "incident" that had been reported and was being addressed at the plant. The alert stated that no immediate action was required for those within 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) of the plant. Approximately 40 minutes later, OPG issued

13440-456: Was not released to the public because it could harm the "economic or other interests of Ontario.” On January 30, 2024, the Minister of Energy, Todd Smith , announced that the Government of Ontario would be investing in the refurbishment of the four Pickering B reactors that date back to the early 1980s. The refurbishment is expected to be complete by the mid 2030s and should extend the life of

13560-477: Was not targeted by sanctions. However, some countries, especially in Europe, scaled back or cancelled planned nuclear power plants that were to be built by Rosatom. Modern nuclear reactor designs have had numerous safety improvements since the first-generation nuclear reactors. A nuclear power plant cannot explode like a nuclear weapon because the fuel for uranium reactors is not enriched enough, and nuclear weapons require precision explosives to force fuel into

13680-418: Was operated as two distinct stations, Pickering A (Units 1 to 4) and Pickering B (Units 5 to 8) until 2011. While primarily administrative in nature, the division was not wholly artificial, as there are some distinct differences in design between the two groups of stations. (Example: The Pickering A units employ a moderator dump as a shutdown mechanism, a feature not found in Pickering B, which instead uses what

13800-480: Was planned in 1992, but deferred, as Ontario Hydro had a surplus of generation at the time. In late 2005, Bruce Power and the Government of Ontario committed to return units 1 and 2 to service, to help meet increasing energy demand in the province of Ontario. The project was originally estimated to cost $ 4.25 billion. It was determined that while units 1 & 2 could have been restarted without refurbishment, it

13920-474: Was slated to cost $ 460 million and ultimately ended up costing $ 1.25 billion. - Pickering Unit 1 was slated to cost $ 210 million and ultimately ended up costing $ 1.00 billion. However, the figure presented by the FAO for Unit 1 doesn't align with that provided by Ontario Energy Minister, Dwight Duncan, who indicated that Pickering Unit 1 would cost $ 900 million, putting the completed project much closer to budget. This

14040-412: Was split into 5 component Crown corporations with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) taking over all electrical generating stations. In June 2000, OPG entered into a long-term lease agreement with private sector consortium Bruce Power to take over operation. In May 2001, Bruce Power began operations. The lease was for 18 years until 2019 with an option to extend another 25 years to 2044. In November 2009,

14160-399: Was taken out of service. It returned to service in October 2003, after 6 years of being idle (at which time the unit was 31 years old). Planned refurbishment of unit 4 to begin in 2025 (when the unit will be 53 years old). Bruce B units, located to the south of Bruce A, are of a slightly larger capacity: 817 MW net, 840 MW gross. which is attributed to an improved steam generator design, where

14280-423: Was temporarily shut down due to a pressure-tube leak. In 1986, a fuel channel failed while the reactor was shut down; some of the fuel elements were swept into the moderator (calandria) and were difficult to remove. In 1986, maintenance workers accidentally left a protective lead blanket in the steam generator of Unit 2. By the time the mistake was discovered six years later, the blanket had melted, severely damaging

14400-539: Was the upgrading of the secondary safe shutdown system as well as some maintenance. Instead of retrofitting the poison injection found at the other plants, the least cost option was to add more shutdown rods and then split them into separate, independent groups. This was deemed sufficient by the AECB, despite acknowledging that this does not in fact constitute a fully independent fast acting secondary safe shutdown system. Premier Mike Harris asked former federal energy Minister Jake Epp to study and make recommendations on

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