TIVERTON, Ontario – Bruce Power, which operates one of the world’s largest nuclear-generating facilities, continues to power Ontario forward by providing more clean energy from its existing units in rural southwestern Ontario.
Nuclear power already provides 60 percent of the province’s clean energy and with the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) forecasting demand to grow over the coming decades Bruce Power’s Project 2030 is on track to reach its target of increasing power output from 6,300 megawatts (MW) in 2016 to 7,000 MW of net peak power through the 2030s. This is roughly equivalent to adding the output of another large-scale reactor at the Bruce Power site.
“Ontario has one of the cleanest electricity grids in the world and, as we look to further decarbonize our economy, we’re counting on nuclear to maintain its role as a clean energy workhorse to help us meet rising demand and support electrification,” said Todd Smith, Ontario’s minister of energy. “Bruce Power’s leadership in developing innovative solutions to support emission-reduction efforts is a tangible example of Ontario’s nuclear advantage.”
With Bruce Power taking part in the 27th Conference of the Parties United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) in Egypt, the company continues its work to deliver increased output as Unit 4, which is currently undergoing planned maintenance, will return before the end of the year with an expected bulked-up maximum output of 855 MW, an increase of five MW.
This follows on the recent successful Unit 2 maintenance outage, where equipment upgrades and switchyard enhancements are expected to deliver an additional 39 MW to Ontario homes and businesses for a total net peak capacity of 880 MW, which is enough clean electricity to power about 880,000 Ontario homes and businesses.
Last fall, Bruce Power announced a new site generation peak of 6,550 MW, advancing on our path to achieve 7,000 MWs by 2033. After completion of our Major Component Replacement Program in 2033, our units will operate to 2064.
“Ontario’s electricity grid is already in the enviable position of being a world leader by being 90 per cent carbon-free, and we’re doing our part to curb our reliance on carbon-emitting sources,” said Mike Rencheck, Bruce Power’s president and chief executive officer. “Nuclear provides reliable, clean and affordable energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week, no matter the weather. Renewing our assets and extending and optimizing output of clean electricity simply makes sense to help Ontario reach its clean-energy goals.”
Ontario’s largest clean-energy infrastructure project, Bruce Power’s Life-Extension Program, will extend the life of units 3-8 to 2064, securing decades of carbon-free electricity while creating tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs and billions in economic benefits.
The avoided emissions from the initial phase of Project 2030, which will grow site output to 6,750 MW, are estimated to remove almost 450,000 metric tonnes of CO2e annually, the equivalent of taking approximately 100,000 cars off the road.
