Ontario launches $26.8 billion overhaul of Pickering reactors, shutting them for ten years
Four reactors at Pickering Nuclear Generating Station are being taken offline to begin a $26.8 billion refurbishment that will last about a decade.
Ontario’s government has started a massive $26.8 billion upgrade of four reactors at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, removing them from service for an estimated ten years. Work slated to begin in January will involve swapping out 1,520 fuel channels, 48 boilers and constructing a 1.5-kilometre deep-water intake, ultimately extending the plant’s operating life by as much as 38 years and supplying power for 2.2 million homes.
Energy Minister Stephen Lecce highlighted that the initiative will support about 30,500 jobs, with the bulk of costs remaining in the province. Environmental Defence cautioned that the prolonged outage may increase reliance on natural gas, potentially elevating the province’s carbon emissions. The project reflects Premier Doug Ford’s strategy to lean heavily on nuclear power to meet Ontario’s growing electricity demand.
Why it matters
The decade-long shutdown will reshape Ontario’s energy mix, affecting jobs, emissions and power reliability.
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