CAMBRIDGE, Ontario – The Ontario government is welcoming a $80 million investment by BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) to expand their Cambridge nuclear manufacturing plant. Their investment will create more than 250 new skilled, unionized jobs in Cambridge and support Ontario’s expansion of reliable, affordable and clean nuclear energy to power our growing economy.
“With shovels in the ground today on new nuclear generation, including the first small modular reactor in the G7, I’m so pleased to see global nuclear manufacturers like BWXT expanding their operations in Cambridge and hiring more Ontario workers,” said Todd Smith, minister of energy. “The benefits of Ontario’s nuclear industry reaches far beyond the stations at Darlington, Pickering and Bruce, and this $80 million investment shows how all communities can help meet Ontario’s growing demand for clean energy, while also securing local investments and creating even more good-paying jobs.”
This investment builds on BWXT’s existing operations in Ontario, which already employs 1200 people, and supports the ongoing operations of Ontario’s existing nuclear stations at Darlington, Bruce and Pickering. As Ontario takes a global leadership position on new nuclear technologies, including Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington New Nuclear Project for four small modular reactors and the first large-scale new nuclear build in a generation at the Bruce site, BWXT is expanding their operations and hiring more Ontario workers to be able to meet the growing demand here in Ontario, across Canada and beyond.
“Our expansion comes at a time when we’re supporting our customers in the successful execution of some of the largest clean nuclear energy projects in the world,” said John MacQuarrie, president of commercial operations at BWXT. “At the same time, the global nuclear industry is increasingly being called upon to mitigate the impacts of climate change and increase energy security and independence. By investing significantly in our Cambridge manufacturing facility, BWXT is further positioning our business to serve our customers to produce more safe, clean and reliable electricity in Canada and abroad.”
The province’s build-out of nuclear generation – supported by BWXT’s expanded facility – will provide families and industries with the reliable, low-cost, and clean energy needed to power the future, with growing electricity demands as a result of increasing electrification and strong economic growth in the province.
Quick facts
- The Independent Electricity System Operator’s Pathways to Decarbonization Report forecasts that in less than 30 years, Ontario could need to more than double its electricity generation capacity from 42,000 megawatts (MW) today to 88,000 MW in 2050. The report forecasts an additional 17,800 MW of nuclear power could be required to meet that increased demand.
- To meet growing the electricity demand this decade, as outlined in Powering Ontario’s Growth, Ontario is conducting Canada’s largest clean energy storage procurement, has invested more than $1 billion in energy efficiency programs, is supporting the continued safe operation of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, and is building Canada’s first grid-scale Small Modular Reactor.
- Ontario’s electricity system is among the cleanest in the world, powered by a diverse supply mix including nuclear, hydroelectric, renewables, natural gas and biomass.
- Nuclear power currently provides about 50 per cent of Ontario’s electricity supply and has been a safe and reliable part of Ontario’s electricity system since the 1960s, providing affordable baseload power with zero emissions.
- Construction for the BWXT Cambridge Expansion Project will be begin in the third quarter of 2024 and is estimated to be completed in early 2026.
