Todd Smith, Ontario’s Energy Minister, is to announce a multi-billion dollar refurbishment of the four reactors at Ontario Power Generation ’s (OPG’s) Pickering B power plant, east of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
A government official said the government has approved a $2 billion budget for OPG, the plant’s owner, to carry out the necessary engineering and design work and order key components. No full cost estimate for the project has yet been revealed.
The four Pickering B units entered service in the mid-1980s. OPG’s current licence for Pickering B allows it to operate the reactors to the end of this year. It has applied to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) for permission to operate them until late 2026. CNSC approval is also required for a refurbishment.