Canada's nuclear power regulator said that it has granted Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG) a renewed operating license for the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station in Clarington, Ontario, which is responsible for 20 percent of Ontario's electricity needs.
The four-reactor plant of CANDU design has a total capacity of 3,512 MW with units that started commercial operation in 1990 through 1993. The first online was Unit 2 in 1990, followed by Unit 1 in 1992 and Units 3 and 4 in 1993.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), in a pre-Christmas announcement, said the license for the Darlington facility will be valid from Jan. 1, 2016 until Nov. 30, 2025.
With the license renewal, the CNSC authorized OPG, to undertake refurbishment and life extension operations for the four units. The Commission also authorized OPG to operate Darlington's four units beyond the 210,000 equivalent full power hours up to the proposed refurbishment outages, to a maximum of 235,000 equivalent full power hours, the regulator said.
The decision followed two pubic hearings, which took place in August and November in 2015. Under consideration was input from OPG and “281 intervenors,” the agency said.
CNSC staff will provide annual regulatory oversight reports on the performance of the generating station and on the status of the refurbishment project and emergency planning, as part of the CNSC's annual Regulatory Oversight Report for Canadian Nuclear Power Plants.
CNSC staff will present these reports at public proceedings.
The Commission said it expects updates on the status of refurbishment projects following the return of each unit to service. Furthermore, the Commission directed OPG and CNSC staff to provide a more comprehensive update to the Commission following the return to service of the first reactor unit or by no later than the mid-term of the license period.
OPG Nuclear President and Chief Nuclear Officer Glenn Jager noted that the decision represented the longest license ever granted to a Canadian nuclear power plant. “The license term reflects the strong performance of the Darlington station and the preparations OPG has made for refurbishment,” Jager said in a statement.
The refurbishment is expected to generate about $15 billion in economic benefits to the province and create an average of 8,800 jobs annually from 2010 to 2023, OPG said.