Canada’s SNC-Lavalin Group said on 20 April that its subsidiary Candu Energy had been selected to provide integration engineering support to GE Steam Power Canada (GE) for turbine generator refurbishment work on units 1, 2, and 4 at Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) Darlington Nuclear Generating Station. The approximately CAD20 million ($16m) contract runs until 2026, and includes support during installation, commissioning, and closeout work. As part of the Darlington Refurbishment Project, the turbine generator refurbishment will allow Darlington to operate until 2055.
As part of the project, the steam turbine generators and associated auxiliary and control systems are being refurbished with technology upgrades. SNC-Lavalin will provide design, integration, and engineering execution services to GE in the refurbishment of the turbine generators.
OPG’s Darlington Station is a four-unit facility which generates more than 20% of Ontario’s electricity. The Darlington Refurbishment Project and subsequent 30-year extension of station operations are expected to generate roughly $90 billion in economic benefits for Ontario, and create 14,200 jobs a year.
The previous day SNC-Lavalin announced that Candu Energy had been chosen by Bruce Power to provide design and engineering services for fuel channel installation tooling at unit 3 of Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario. The mandate also includes manufacturing and testing, and forms part of the broader Life Extension Programme. SNC-Lavalin previously delivered tooling solutions for Bruce Power’s unit 6.
The tooling systems will allow for the installation of fuel channels (components of the Candu reactor core) at unit 3. Delivery of the systems is part of Bruce Power’s Major Component Replacement (MCR) Project, and associated reactor refurbishment.
The eight pressurised heavy-water Candu reactor units at the Bruce site (Bruce A - units 1-4, and Bruce B – units 4-8) began commercial operation between 1977 and 1987. Bruce Power’s CAD13 billion Life Extension Programme began in 2016. MCR began with unit 6 and includes units 3-8, which will extend the life of the site until 2064. Units 1&2 have already been refurbished.
