Ontario has directed the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to enter into a cost-sharing agreement enabling Bruce Power to advance critical pre-development work on the Bruce C nuclear project. The government will share CAD300m ($2.2m) in costs for activities including First Nations engagement, workforce planning, and site preparation through 2030.
The Bruce C Project is a proposed expansion of the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Tiverton, Ontario, designed to add up to 4,800 MWe of new nuclear generating capacity. If completed, this expansion would make the Bruce site the largest nuclear power facility in the world, bringing its total capacity to roughly 12,000 MWe, enough to power 4.8m million homes.
The project will be located within the existing 932-hectare site on the shores of Lake Huron in the Municipality of Kincardine. Currently the project is in a multi-year Impact Assessment (IA) and pre-development phase. Preparatory work is expected to be complete by 2030, with the facility designed to operate for 60 to 100 years.
The project is estimated to create approximately 18,900 net-new jobs per year during construction and over 6,000 permanent jobs during operation. It is projected to add over CAD230bn to Canada’s GDP over its 80-year lifespan. Ontario forecasts electricity demand to grow by up to 90% by 2050. Bruce C is intended to provide the reliable “baseload” power needed to meet this demand while maintaining a clean electricity grid.
While the existing site uses Candu reactors, several nuclear reactor technologies are being considered for the expansion. A specific reactor technology for the Bruce C Project has not yet been selected. Instead, Bruce Power is using a “technology-neutral” approach known as a Plant Parameter Envelope (PPE). This strategy involves evaluating the environmental and social impacts based on a “bounding case” that covers several advanced reactor designs. This ensures that whichever technology is eventually chosen, its impact will be within the pre-assessed limits.
The leading contenders under evaluation include:
- Candu Monark – an updated, high-output version of the Candu reactors currently used at the Bruce site. It uses natural uranium, allowing for a 100% domestic supply chain from Canadian mines without the need for expensive enrichment processes.
- Westinghouse AP1000 – a Generation III+ pressurised water reactor (PWR). It is marketed as the only fully designed and operational advanced modular reactor of its scale currently available. Westinghouse has signed agreements with Canadian firms such as Tetra Tech to prepare for possible deployment in Ontario.
- GE Hitachi BWRX-300 – while Bruce C is focused on large-scale generation, this small modular reactor (SMR) technology is already being deployed at the nearby Darlington Nuclear Station. It features a simplified design with passive safety systems and is designed for faster, more predictable construction through factory manufacturing.
Bruce Power recently launched a Request for Information (RFI) to further evaluate these and other potential technologies, ensuring the final choice aligns with Ontario’s long-term energy needs and supply chain capabilities.
“At a time when our economy faces threats from abroad, Ontario’s government is doubling down on made-in-Canada nuclear power,” said Ontario Energy & Mines Minister Stephen Lecce. “Our government is thinking big and long-term as we build on-time and on-budget, leading the largest nuclear expansion on the continent that will help put 150,000 Canadians to work. This is the economic spark that will help Ontario reindustrialise, attract job creating investment, and keep power reliable for families, farms and businesses.”
Bruce Power currently operates eight reactors across two stations and maintains a supply chain where 95% of spending remains in Canada. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce projects the expansion will contribute CAD2bn annually to local GDP and generate CAD427m in labour income while supporting 3,400 full-time regional jobs.
“Today’s support for pre-development work on the Bruce C Project is a critical step in ensuring Ontario has the reliable, affordable and carbon-free electricity it needs for generations to come,” said Bruce Power President & CEO Eric Chassard. “We are taking important next steps to advance early development work while continuing meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities, local municipalities and our supply chain and labour partners. Building at an existing world-class nuclear site positions Ontario to deliver new large-scale nuclear capacity efficiently, support thousands of good-paying jobs, and reinforce the province’s leadership in clean energy and nuclear innovation.”
The expansion supports Ontario’s strategy to address electricity demand growth of up to 90% by 2050. Nuclear power currently provides approximately 50% of the province’s electricity supply and supports around 80,000 jobs across communities throughout Ontario.
Other nuclear initiatives include the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station refurbishment, Bruce Power’s Life Extension programme, and small modular reactor construction at the Darlington site. Bruce Power began the federal Impact Assessment process in 2024, with completion expected by 2028.
“Ontario’s demand for electricity is rising rapidly, and we need to take steps to ensure our grid remains reliable and affordable into the future,” noted Lesley Gallinger, President & CEO of IESO. “That’s why the IESO has entered into a pre-development agreement with Bruce Power to support early preparation and planning for the Bruce C Nuclear project. By enabling first steps for projects like this one with significant lead times, we are ensuring the province is future-ready and prepared to meet electricity demand as it emerges.”
Through this agreement, IESO will share in the costs incurred by Bruce Power to continue advancing key predevelopment activities including engagement with First Nations, local communities, building trades and suppliers, which will occur alongside the work currently underway for completion of the federal Impact Assessment (IA) and receipt of a Licence to Prepare Site from the federal Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).
