Why the Darlington nuclear refurbishment is a boon for Ontario businesses
Nuclear power plays a crucial role in the daily lives of all Canadians by providing clean, reliable and affordable energy to millions of homes across the country. As awareness around the impacts of carbon emissions increases, governments around the world are desperately seeking ways to power their countries in sustainable and cost-efficient ways.
Luckily for us, the Canadian government and its industry partners have taken a leading role in building and maintaining robust, safe nuclear power stations. But, the benefits of nuclear adoption are not just environmental; the economic gains are just as significant, especially here in Ontario.
As well as providing low-cost energy, the nuclear industry creates thousands of jobs and acts as a boon for hundreds of homegrown Ontario businesses. Nowhere is this economic effect more evident than with the current mid-life refurbishment of Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) CANDU reactors at the Darlington Nuclear station in Clarington. The mega-project has given Ontario businesses a much needed boost and will, when
Currently, we are 30 days ahead of our schedule and under budget. We are nine months into the project, about 25% complete, and things are going really well.” Gary Rose Vice President, Planning and Project Controls, Nuclear Projects; Darlington Refurbishment at OPG
complete, ensure safe, reliable and clean power for another 30 years.
Research conducted by the Conference Board of Canada discovered that, when combined with Darlington’s additional 30 years of operation, the refurbishment project is projected to boost Ontario’s GDP by approximately $89 billion, and increase the number of jobs in Ontario by an average of 14,200 per year between 2017 and 2055.
“We are extremely happy with the progress of the project to date,” says OPG’s Gary Rose, Vice President, Planning and Project Controls on the Darlington Refurbishment project. “Currently, we are 30 days ahead of our schedule and under budget. We are nine months into the project, about 25 per cent complete on the first unit, and things are going really well.”
Astonishingly, for a project this size, 96 per cent of all money spent on the Darlington refurbishment is going straight back to Ontario-based manufacturers, contractors and other skilled workers. “We have been in planning since 2010 and our procurement strategies were designed to find the best contractors for this highly technical work,” says Rose. “It was little surprise that many of those companies ended up being Ontario-based.”
One such company to benefit from the project is BC Instruments (BCI), which has been working on the Darlington Refurbishment for two years. The Schomberg, Ontario-based company, which has years of experience building complex components for CANDU reactors, recently completed the manufacturing of calandria tube inserts, studs and yokes, which are integral to how a nuclear power station creates energy.
BCI’s involvement in the project has allowed it to add to its workforce, retain some key roles, and meet some of its yearly and long-term business goals. “The fact that it is a long-term project is so important for us, and that’s often not the case with many other industries we support,” says Roger Conzelmann, President at BCI. “Working on the Darlington refurbishment provides strong assurance we have enough work for our people. It makes a huge difference.”
Another company to benefit from the Darlington project is Peterborough-based BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada. Since 2013, BWXT has been responsible for engineering and manufacturing components used in defueling, and has committed more than 200 staff members to full time roles on the project.
The company has thrived and employees at all levels are enjoying the challenge and recognition of working on such a high profile project. “The Darlington Refurbishment is widely viewed as a destiny project for the industry,” says David LaFrancois, BWXT’s Director of Service Operations. “We know all eyes in the province are on OPG and the many companies from across Ontario working on Canada’s largest clean energy project.”
Few companies have more experience in working on OPG’s CANDU reactors than Nu-Tech Precision Metals. As well as creating pressure tubes for the current refurbishment, Arnprior-based Nu-Tech has made every single pressure tube in an operating CANDU reactor since 1957.
The relationship has been very important for Nu-Tech, with the company growing significantly since it made its first delivery. Its footprint has expanded since 1975 from 20,000 to more than 250,000 square feet today.
“Everyone associated with Nu-Tech is so proud of this achievement,” says Nu-Tech’s President, George Legate. “We came to Canada from the U.S to follow the CANDU industry. Fifty per cent of our business is export, and I can honestly say that we wouldn’t have any of that if we didn’t have this partnership with OPG and the nuclear industry in Canada. This project is really important for the growth and the success of our company.”