It was a year of progress for Bruce Power with the culmination of projects years in the making and the possibilities of new ones on the horizon, along with expanding medical isotope production helping in the global fight against cancer.
“As we look back on 2023, there’s so much to celebrate for those who work with Bruce Power and in the nuclear industry,” said Mike Rencheck, Bruce Power’s President and CEO. “Our people, our communities, and our partners have a lot to be proud of as we continue to support our communities and provide clean, reliable electricity to the province and cancer-fighting medical isotopes to the global health-care community.”
In 2023, Bruce Power brought its renewed Unit 6 back online safely, with high quality, ahead of schedule and on budget after a successful Major Component (MCR) outage to provide clean and reliable power for the people of Ontario for decades to come. The company also began its Unit 3 MCR outage, leveraging lessons learned and strong performance in Unit 6. Unit 7 set its continuous operation record of over 520 days and continues the run into the new year.
The company continued to use its reactors not only as a source of clean energy, but a strong provider of much-needed medical isotopes for the world health-care community. Bruce Power harvested a largest historical shipment of cobalt-60, used to sterilize billions of single-use medical devices and in targeted cancer treatment, and also was able to increase its capacity to produce cancer-fighting lutetium-177 through innovations to its Isotope Production System in 2023.
The Ontario Government made big news in the summer when it included Bruce Power in its Powering Ontario Growth Plan to study the feasibility of adding new nuclear to the already established site.
Here are some more of our achievements in 2023:
January
The Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI) recognized ATS Industrial Automation for developing groundbreaking technology to fully automate the installation and inspection of Calandria Tubes in collaboration with Bruce Power in support of its MCR project.
Bruce Power was named as one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People for the 12th year in a row, recognition for providing a high-quality workplace and programs for those beginning in their career.
Bruce Power named among Canada’s Best Employers by Forbes, an award based on an independent survey of more than 12,000 Canadian employees.
February
Unit 3 marked 45 years since declaring commercial operation on Feb. 1, 1978.
Rencheck was named Leader of the Year by Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC) for championing the company’s commitment to equitable practices, strategies, and programs to benefit underrepresented communities.
Bruce Power named as one of Diversio’s Top 20 Most Innovative Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) companies.
Bruce Power named a top-rated company for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Risk Rating by the third-party ESG rating agency Morningstar Sustainalytics, which included more than 15,000 companies across 42 industries.
March
Bruce Power named as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for 2023 in recognition of its continued journey to integrate its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) program to sustain a positive workplace.
Bruce Power issued $600 million in Green Bonds as it continues to help the province and country achieve their Net Zero goals through clean-energy projects. This issuance came after Bruce Power became the first nuclear operator in the world to successfully issue Green Bonds in 2021, raising $500 million.
Bruce Power completed a first of a kind technology advance to chemically clean the Unit 3 reactor prior to commencing the MCR activities advancing worker safety standards.
April
Cameco and Bruce Power celebrated the extension of their long-term exclusive nuclear fuel supply arrangements for an additional 10 years through to 2040. A made in Canada solution.
May
Bruce Power begins loading fuel into Unit 6
$1.3-billion contract awarded to Shoreline Power Group for Fuel Channel and Feeder Replacement (FCFR) for remaining MCR projects in Units 4, 5, 7 and 8.
Bruce Power awarded a Top Innovative Practice (TIP) Award for a Containment Filtered Ventilation System (CFVS), developed with Framatome, at the Nuclear Energy Institute’s Nuclear Energy Assembly in Washington, DC.
June
Bruce Power hosts event to highlight the progress and innovative work on its Road Map to Net Zero, a multi-faceted action plan to support Ontario’s and Canada’s climate change goals.
The Government of Canada announces funding to allow the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON) to take the next step in their partnership, named Gamzook’aamin Aakoziwin, with Bruce Power to jointly produce, advance and market new isotopes in support of the global fight against cancer, while also working together to create new economic opportunities within the SON territory.
July
Ontario’s Minister of Energy, Hon. Todd Smith, announced support to advance the long-term planning and consultation work required to explore nuclear expansion options on the Bruce Power site.
August
Unit 6 achieves a sustained fission chain reaction which creates the heat needed to produce electricity, known in the nuclear industry as ‘first criticality,’ following MCR outage.
The international collaboration of Bruce Power, Isogen (a Kinectrics and Framatome company), Gamzook’aamin Aakoziwin (partnership with SON), and ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM), implemented an isotope target innovation to increase the capacity to produce lutetium-177.
September
Unit 6 declared commercially operational, 39 years to the day of its first in-service date of Sept. 14, 1984.
Rencheck joined industry leaders and government officials in Paris, France, in a groundbreaking OECD – NEA event to discuss and support nuclear’s role in leading a clean energy future. Over 20 nations participated in this historic event.
Bruce Power completed a Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Mid-cycle Assessment in a public meeting held in Kincardine, ON which is host to the Bruce site.
October
Bruce Power successfully completed a harvest of cancer-fighting cobalt-60 during its planned outage in Unit 8.
Unit 3 MCR outage removal and replacement series begins following months of safe and successful preparation.
Bruce Power released an Expression of Interest (EOI) process to further understand nuclear technologies that could help meet growing demand for clean electricity and advance decarbonization efforts in Ontario.
Company awarded a gold level certification for the fourth consecutive time by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) for excellence in Indigenous relations. Bruce Power was also awarded gold in 2014, 2017 and 2020, and the company is one of only a dozen to have received the designation in 2023.
Bruce Power notified the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) of its intent to launch an Impact Assessment (IA) for potential new nuclear generation on the Bruce Power site including early community, Indigenous and public engagement.
November
Bruce Power opens Bruce C Project Office and Community Hub in Saugeen Shores.
Bruce Power announced the launch of a Request for Information (RFI) process in early 2024 to evaluate potential new nuclear technologies as part of its preliminary engagement and long-term review of expanding nuclear generation on the Bruce Power site. The company also announced the establishment of an Advisory Panel including business, industry and labour leadership to review the critical areas of economic development and partnerships, supply chain and workforce in the long-term outlook for Ontario’s nuclear sector.
Delivery of the company’s largest ever harvest of cobalt-60, a crucial isotope used worldwide in the sterilization of billions of pieces of medical equipment and in the ongoing fight against cancer.
Bruce Power was named as one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures™ for 2023 by Waterstone Human Capital. This marks the company’s fourth win (2013, 2017, 2020, 2023), earning the company a place in the Canada’s Most Admired™ Hall of Fame as a four-time award recipient.
December
Gamzook’aamin Aakoziwin partnership between Bruce Power and SON delivered its first full year of revenue from lutetium-177 production.
After being on hand Dec. 2, in Dubai to witness Canada and more than 20 other countries launch a declaration to triple global nuclear generation capacity by 2050, Bruce Power signed a Net Zero Nuclear Industry Pledge to help achieve this lofty goal.
In a first for the industry, Bruce Power, in collaboration with GHD, created the first carbon offset protocol for nuclear generation, making the announcement as part of the Canadian delegation at the 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai.
About Bruce Power
Bruce Power is an electricity company based in Bruce County, Ontario. We are powered by our people. Our 4,200 employees are the foundation of our accomplishments and are proud of the role they play in safely delivering clean, reliable nuclear power to families and businesses across the province and cancer-fighting medical isotopes around the world. Bruce Power has worked hard to build strong roots in Ontario and is committed to protecting the environment and supporting the communities in which we live. Formed in 2001, Bruce Power is a Canadian-owned partnership of TC Energy, OMERS, the Power Workers’ Union and The Society of United Professionals. Learn more at www.brucepower.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
