Bruce Power began its Unit 5 Major Component Replacement (MCR) outage Nov. 1, taking another step forward in a privately funded refurbishment success story with the company, partners and skilled trades delivering strong planning and performance for the people of Ontario.
With Bruce Power’s renewed Units 6 and 3 operating with strong performance and Unit 4 setting records in its MCR outage, Unit 5 was taken off-line for its scheduled outage safely and successfully. This represents the second half of the company’s privately backed MCR Project that will see Units 3-8 renewed to provide clean, reliable energy for Ontario’s people, businesses and hospitals for decades to come, while also ensuring a dependable source of cancer-fighting medical isotopes for the world health-care community.
Ontario’s nuclear advantage has been on full display with its skilled tradespeople, vast supply chain and world-class innovation setting new standards for CANDU refurbishment. Bruce Power and its partners have leveraged lessons from each MCR and developed state-of-the-art technology to better their performance in each successive outage, bringing reliable units back online and passing savings on to ratepayers.
“Ontario’s nuclear advantage is powered by the best workers, engineers and skilled tradespeople in the world and the start of Unit 5’s refurbishment is yet another example of nuclear expertise that few jurisdictions can match,” said Stephen Lecce, Ontario Minister of Energy and Mines. “Extending the life of this critical asset will deliver reliable, affordable electricity, while strengthening Ontario’s position as a global energy superpower that can refurbish nuclear plants on time and on budget. With 95 per cent of Bruce Power’s spending staying in Canada, this work sustains 22,000 jobs and approximately $4 billion in economic benefits every year, supporting skilled trades, made-in-Ontario supply chains and communities across our province.”
Bruce Power’s first MCR outage in Unit 6 was completed ahead of schedule and cost in 2023 with $52 million delivered back to Ontario ratepayers. Since then, the renewed Unit 6 has shown excellent performance in powering the province.
Unit 3 was brought back online in June, more than seven months ahead of schedule, helping meet Ontario’s peak summer electricity demand, demonstrating strong post-refurbishment reliability while returning approximately $150 million to Ontario ratepayers through the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO).
Unit 4’s MCR outage began in 2025 and is tracking ahead of the Unit 3 MCR, which was the first to employ innovative robotics on a nuclear reactor face for the first time.
“Our performance gets better with each MCR outage and we’re committed to delivering these projects safely with high quality and on time to return reliable units to power Ontario forward,” said Eric Chassard, Bruce Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Along with our partners and skilled workforce, we are securing the future of the Bruce site, sustaining surrounding communities, driving the economy, and producing cancer-fighting medical isotopes for patients around the world.”
With the start of Unit 5, overlapping MCR outages will continue at the Bruce site until 2033, including a magnitude of work that no other utility in the world has faced. Unit 7’s MCR is scheduled to begin in 2028, with Unit 8 scheduled for 2030. Ontario is also evaluating a second MCR for Units 1 and 2, which were refurbished and returned to service in 2012 after being laid up in the late 1990s.
“The start of Unit 5’s Major Component Replacement outage is another important milestone for Bruce Power’s Life-Extension Program and for the thousands of skilled tradespeople, suppliers and businesses helping deliver this work,” said Lisa Thompson, MPP for Huron-Bruce. “As each refurbishment project is completed, we are seeing Ontario-made expertise and innovation produce real results for ratepayers while supporting good-paying jobs and strengthening communities across Bruce, Grey and Huron counties. This work is securing a reliable supply of clean electricity for decades to come and reinforcing our region’s role as a leader in Ontario’s nuclear success story.”
The Life-Extension Program and MCR Projects will extend the operational life of each reactor by 30 to 35 years, replacing key reactor components such as 480 Calandria Tubes and Fuel Channels (pressure tubes), 960 Feeder Tubes, and hulking Steam Generators.
The program and ongoing site operations create and sustain 22,000 direct and indirect jobs annually and contribute approximately $4 billion in annual economic benefits in communities throughout the province, particularly here in the Clean Energy Frontier region of Bruce, Grey and Huron counties. Ninety-five per cent of Bruce Power’s total spending is in Canada.
“The strong performance we’re seeing across our MCR program starts with the skill and experience of the tradespeople doing this work every day,” said Laurent Seigle, Bruce Power’s Executive Vice-President, Projects. “When you combine that expertise with Ontario’s robust nuclear supply chain and innovative technologies and processes, we have a powerful made-in-Ontario advantage that is helping us execute more efficiently with each successive MCR and deliver long-term value for ratepayers.”
About Bruce Power
Bruce Power is an electricity company based in Bruce County, Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory, 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, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.