TIVERTON, ONTARIO — (Marketwire) — 10/17/12 — Bruce Power–s announcement that Unit 2 generated electricity for the first time in 17 years is good news for Ontario ratepayers because it marks a key milestone in the revitalization of the Bruce site. In September, the company also announced Unit 1 had also synchronized to the electricity grid for the first time in 15 years.
“By working together Bruce Power staff, a team of contractors and highly skilled building trades have allowed the province to return Units 1 and 2 to service after nearly two decades,” said Spencer Fox, President of ES Fox Construction and co-chair of the Bruce Renewal Team. “This is good news for ratepayers who are counting on Bruce Power as a source of low-cost, clean electricity.”
With Unit 2 achieving this important milestone, the Bruce Power site is now positioned to realize its full potential of generating about a quarter of the province–s electricity.
“When these units were shut down in the 1990s, many wondered if they would ever return to service,” said Larry Alderdice, of the Power Workers– Union and co-chair of the Bruce Renewal Team. “Over the last 11 years, site staff have worked hard to make this possible because we understand the important role the site plays in generating the low-cost, clean electricity that families in Ontario count on every day.”
Ontario–s Long Term Energy Plan is based on a number of key pillars, including Bruce Power operating at its full capacity of eight units for decades to come, combined with the phase-out of coal by the end of 2014. Over the past decade, Ontario has decreased its reliance on coal by 90 per cent, while Bruce Power has doubled its number of operating units.
“Ontario is seeking to build a modern, clean electricity system, while creating good jobs and keeping rates low for families and businesses,” said Patrick Dillon, business manager of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario and co-chair of the Bruce Renewal Team. “The revitalization of the Bruce site and this project has balanced that. We created and secured thousands of jobs and brought back to service a clean source of electricity in a low-cost manner for families and businesses.”
About the Bruce Renewal Team
The Bruce Renewal Team is a coalition of unions, construction companies, engineering firms and Bruce Power, Ontario–s largest independent electricity provider, working together to renew one of the world–s largest nuclear facilities, the Bruce Power site, which is located in southwestern Ontario.
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