The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has confirmed the ongoing safety of Candu technology and pressure tubes in Canada’s nuclear reactors. Bruce Power said the decision was informed by years of detailed research and analysis into pressure tube integrity in Candu reactors. It echoed the conclusions of the External Advisory Committee on Pressure Tubes, established by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), which confirmed in a report earlier this year that “enough has been done by the licensees to definitively provide assurance that the plants can operate safely.”
Bruce Power, the nuclear industry, and the independent regulator, along with its advisory committee, have continued to act in a proactive and transparent manner in their approach to this issue. Bruce Power has been sharing information on the safety of the pressure tubes, including providing extensive facts on our website, dating back to July of 2021, the company noted.
Rigorous and regular inspections combined with material testing, verification and independent review continue to demonstrate the ongoing safe operation of the Candu reactors. “As we continue to deliver clean, reliable electricity to Ontario and cancer fighting medical isotopes worldwide, Bruce Power’s commitment to the safety of our employees, our environment and our community is unwavering.”
The eight pressurised heavy-water Candu reactor units at the Bruce site in Ontario (Bruce A – units 1-4, and Bruce B – units 4-8) began commercial operation between 1977 and 1987. Bruce Power’s CAD13bn ($10bn) Life Extension Programme, which includes Asset Management and MCR, began in 2016. MCR, which began with unit 6 and also includes units 3-8, will extend the life of the site until 2064. Units 1&2 have already been refurbished and were returned to service in 2012. Work began on unit 3 in March.
Image: The Bruce nuclear power plant in Ontario (courtesy of Bruce Power)
