Name of the Project
Darlington Nuclear Generating Station (DNGS) refurbishment project.

Location
Ontario, Canada.

Project Owner/s
Ontario Power Generation (OPG).

Project Description
The DNGS is a four-unit nuclear power plant owned and operated by OPG.

Every unit comprises a Candu pressurised heavy water reactor with a net generating capacity of 881 MW, providing a combined capacity of 3 524 MW.

The project involves the refurbishment of each of the four DNGS reactors at the facility and continued operation of each reactor for about 30 years.

The project includes the defuelling and dewatering of the reactors; the replacement of reactor components – fuel channel assemblies and feeder pipes, repair and maintenance, as well as upgrades to the balance of plant.

The project further comprises the management of nuclear and nonnuclear waste, including storage of retube waste and transportation of miscellaneous low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste.

The reactors will also be filled with heavy water, and refuelled and restarted.

Potential Job Creation
The refurbishment will create an estimated 8 800 jobs a year during the construction period and preserve 3 000 full-time positions.

Capital Expenditure
Not stated.

Planned Start/End Date
The project is scheduled for completion in 2026.

Latest Developments
Fuel channel installation is complete on Unit 3, ending a lengthy and complex work series and resulting in the completion of the reassembly of the reactor core.

Fuel channel installation is one of the more complex steps in the project. It requires the precise installation of 480 pressure tubes, 960 end fittings and thousands of other components, OPG has said.

By incorporating lessons learned from Unit 2, the first Darlington reactor to be completely refurbished, as well as the critical retube and feeder replacement work on the Unit 3 reactor and associated systems, is progressing ahead of schedule.

With fuel channels installed and leak tight, feeder installation continues with the lower segments and connection to each channel.

The fuel load will be undertaken later this year. The remainder of the project will focus on bringing systems back into service testing and ensuring that the unit is ready to produce power for Ontario’s power grid in mid-2023, according to the OPG website.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
GE Power (stator).

Contact Details for Project Information
OPG, email darlingtonrefurb@opg.com.