At a glance
OPG is set to begin executing the refurbishment of Pickering Nuclear Generating Station’s Units 5-8 after receiving the go-ahead from the Province of Ontario.
The project team is now advancing the initiative while incorporating thousands of lessons learned on the Darlington Refurbishment.
Pickering’s refurbishment will provide 30-plus years of low-carbon power, generate billions in economic benefits, and maintain thousands of skilled jobs across Ontario and Canada.
Like Darlington Nuclear's refurbishment, refurbishing Pickering will involve removing and replacing major components of each reactor and its associated equipment, including replacing 380 fuel channels per reactor.
OPG is now advancing Pickering Nuclear’s refurbishment after receiving the official go-ahead in late 2025.
Last November, the Province gave OPG the all-clear to proceed with refurbishing the station’s Units 5 to 8. The project will secure 2,100 megawatts of low-carbon, reliable electricity for another 30-plus years to help meet Ontario’s forecasted increase in energy demand and support its economic growth.
That’s enough electricity to continue powering the equivalent of more than 2 million homes.
But this project will go beyond just extending the life of these hardworking units. Pickering’s refurbishment will also grow Ontario’s robust nuclear supply chain, create and sustain thousands of jobs, and generate widespread economic benefits for Durham Region, Ontario, and Canada.
“This is a truly a remarkable moment for Pickering Nuclear, our employees, and the community,” said Nicolle Butcher, OPG’s President and CEO. “We are ready to leverage all of our ongoing lessons and experience from our Darlington Refurbishment and the construction of the G7’s first Small Modular Reactor to deliver another successful nuclear refurbishment for Ontario. Through this project, we will ensure this important station continues to play a key role in our future — by generating critical energy and economic benefits, sustaining high-quality jobs, and ensuring Ontario and Canada’s energy security.”
With close to 8,000 lessons learned on the under-budget, ahead-of-schedule Darlington Refurbishment project, OPG, its vendor partners, and Ontario’s nuclear supply chain are ready to apply these lessons and innovations to ensure Pickering’s life-extension is an equal success.
With the green light, OPG will continue to advance Pickering Refurbishment’s definition phase, which will last through much of 2026.
Pickering currently has a licence to operate until the end of 2028. OPG has applied to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for a 10-year licence that includes refurbishment activities. When approved, the new licence would be in effect throughout the refurbishment period and into operations at the newly refurbished station. OPG will begin the Project Execution Phase to refurbish Pickering's Units 5 to 8 in early 2027, with completion expected by the mid-2030s.
With an all-in cost estimate of $26.8 billion, this mega-project is expected to deliver significant economic value for Ontario and Canada. According to the Conference Board of Canada, refurbishing and operating Pickering Nuclear will increase the province’s GDP by $38.2 billion in 2024 dollars over the project’s lifespan, including $17 billion during the refurbishment phase. On a national level, the project is expected to increase Canada’s GDP by $41.6 billion over its lifespan.
Refurbishing and continuing operations at Pickering Nuclear will also sustain, on average, about 7,500 jobs per year across Canada over its lifespan. This includes 30,500 jobs per year over the refurbishment period.
As one of the world’s largest nuclear stations, Pickering Nuclear has been operating for more than 50 years. The station currently meets about 11% of Ontario’s electricity needs.
An authorized nuclear operator examines control room panels at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station.
Additionally, about 85-90% of spending is expected to stay within Ontario, strengthening Ontario-based companies and the local economy. Already, OPG has struck significant contracts for Pickering Refurbishment with Ontario-based suppliers, including a $2.1-billion contract with CanAtom for early engineering and procurement to prepare for the execution of the project’s Retube Feeder and Boiler Replacement Program.
Like Darlington’s four-unit overhaul, refurbishing Pickering will involve removing and replacing major components of each reactor and its associated equipment, including replacing 380 fuel channels per reactor. However, Pickering’s refurbishment is a more complex and larger project than Darlington with a scope that incudes replacing all 48 steam generators across the four units — components that were inspected rather than replaced at Darlington.
Pickering’s refurbishment will also see the construction of a new, 1,500-metre-long deep-water intake structure that will allow access to deeper and colder water for the station’s cooling needs. This high-value item was already in place at Darlington from original construction.
To learn more about Pickering Nuclear and the Pickering Refurbishment project, head over to OPG’s Pickering Nuclear page.
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