Aecon Group and its partners, AtkinsRéalis and Siemens Energy, have been awarded contracts worth a combined CAD3bn ($2.13bn) to refurbish Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG’s) Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. The contracts follow the completion of initial preparatory work and will add CAD1.75bn to Aecon’s construction backlog in the third quarter of 2026.
Under the contract, a 50/50 joint venture between Aecon and AtkinsRéalis, operating as Candu Energy, won a CAD1.7bn contract for the Retube, Feeder and Boiler Replacement (RFBR) project at Pickering unit 5. The work includes replacing the steam generators, fuel channels and feeders.
This is the first phase of a broader multi-unit overhaul, with similar subsequent work anticipated for units 6-8. Site construction has started and reactor core modifications are expected to begin in January 2027, pending final approval from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
In addition, Aecon and Siemens Energy were awarded a CAD1.3bn contract for the Turbine Generator Replacement project. Aecon holds the majority stake in this consortium and is responsible for construction services and material procurement. The work includes installing 14 new steam turbine rotors, overhauling four generators and adding new auxiliary systems along with upgraded control and monitoring systems.
The refurbishment aims to add up to 38 years of operational life to four Candu reactors. Estimates suggest the project will create approximately 30,500 jobs annually during construction and 7,500 jobs across Canada over the plant’s lifespan. The site is expected to provide up to 2,200MW of power when the refurbishment is complete. This output is expected to meet the needs of more than 2m homes.
Aiding this project will be more than 8,000 lessons learned through OPG’s under-budget, ahead-of-schedule Darlington Refurbishment project, which was completed in March.
The highly localised Candu supply chain is 85% Canadian, supporting more than 250 domestic companies and sustaining 90,000 jobs across the country. While manufacturing will spread across Ontario, including 48 steam generators produced by BWXT in Cambridge. local infrastructure in Pickering is already expanding. Vendors such as CanAtom, Black & McDonald, and ES Fox have established local offices, and OPG is building a massive 200,000-square-foot training and mock-up facility directly at the nuclear site.
Energy demand in Ontario is forecasted to climb sharply. The refurbishment secures long-term, low-carbon baseload electricity while strengthening energy independence by relying on unenriched domestic uranium.
“AtkinsRéalis brings decades of hands-on experience refurbishing Canadian-owned Candu reactors in Ontario, with a proven track record of delivering complex life-extension work safely, reliably and with the discipline required for on-time and on-budget performance,” said Ian L Edwards, President and CEO at AtkinsRéalis.
In 2024, the Ontario government said it would support OPG’s plan to proceed with the next steps toward refurbishing Pickering Nuclear Generating Station’s B units (units 5-8), providing 2,000 MWe once work is complete. In 2022, the Ontario government said it asked OPG to conduct a feasibility study on the potential for refurbishing these units. The last feasibility study was conducted between 2006 and 2009. OPG said while there was support for the refurbishment at that time, challenging economics, stagnant electricity demand and anticipated supply chain issues and costs stalled any progress.
“Since it first began operating in 1971, Pickering Nuclear has established itself as one of the world’s largest and best-performing nuclear facilities,” said Nicolle Butcher, OPG’s President and CEO. “Through its refurbishment, we will ensure this important station continues to play a vital role in powering Ontario for future generations.”
Aecon Group president and CEO Jean-Louis Servranckx said: “Advancing the Pickering Nuclear Refurbishment Project is another significant milestone in Ontario’s clean energy future and further demonstrates the strength of Aecon’s comprehensive nuclear construction expertise. Building on decades of experience successfully delivering the largest and most complex nuclear projects across North America, our teams are proud to support OPG in extending the life of this important nuclear generating station while helping ensure a reliable supply of low-carbon electricity for Ontario.”
