{"id":6107,"date":"2026-07-09T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/techy\/en\/?p=6107"},"modified":"2026-07-08T07:50:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T12:50:14","slug":"canada-cut-a-hole-in-a-live-nuclear-reactor-pulled-out-eight-110-ton-steam-generators-and-reopened-it-months-early","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/techy\/en\/canada-cut-a-hole-in-a-live-nuclear-reactor-pulled-out-eight-110-ton-steam-generators-and-reopened-it-months-early\/6107\/","title":{"rendered":"Canada cut a hole in a live nuclear reactor, pulled out eight 110-ton steam generators, and reopened it months early"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Canada has just shown that the least glamorous side of nuclear power may be the one doing the heaviest work. At Bruce Power\u2019s Unit 3 in Ontario, crews lifted eight massive steam generators through the roof of the Bruce A station and brought the renewed CANDU reactor back to service more than seven months ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was not a shiny new reactor<\/a> or a futuristic fusion breakthrough. It was an old machine from the late 1970s getting the kind of deep rebuild that could keep it producing low-emissions electricity into the 2060s, while returning about C$150 million, roughly $106 million U.S., to Ontario ratepayers through the province\u2019s grid operator. Not exactly flashy, but impactful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eight machines through the roof<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A CANDU steam generator is not something you roll through a side door. Each one weighed about 110 tons, and crews had to remove all eight of the old units from Bruce A before lowering the replacements back into place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lift was a slow, careful ballet. First, steam drums weighing about 330 tons had to be moved aside on a track system for inspection and maintenance. Then Mammoet\u2019s PTC-35 crane<\/a>, standing about 330 ft. tall, handled the roof lifts over about six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Also Read: India is boring a tunnel through the Rohtang peaks to move river water, and Pakistan is watching every drop<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Can a 1978 reactor really be part of the clean-energy future? Ontario is betting that it can, as long as the hard parts inside the plant are rebuilt before age catches up with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rebuild below the lift<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The steam generators made the best photo, but they were only one piece of the job. Bruce Power\u2019s Major Component Replacement program also focuses on fuel channels, feeder tubes and other large nuclear components that are essential to keeping a CANDU reactor running safely for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unit 3 also became a test case for new tools. Bruce Power said the project marked the first time robotic tools were used on a reactor face to rebuild a CANDU reactor, and the team set a CANDU refurbishment record by finishing calandria tube removal 11 days ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That matters because the future of nuclear power is not only about building the next plant. For the most part, it is also about proving that existing plants<\/a> can be renewed without drifting endlessly over budget and behind schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
By replacing aging components like steam generators, Bruce Power is extending the life of its 1970s-era reactors by three decades, ensuring reliable clean energy for Ontario.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Seven months early<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bruce Power said Unit 3 returned to service on June 8, 2026, more than seven months ahead of schedule. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission had already removed all regulatory hold points for Bruce A Unit 3 as of June 2, allowing the unit to return to full-power operation under normal oversight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The renewed unit is expected to help power Ontario for decades, with Bruce Power saying it can provide enough electricity for a city the size of Brampton. Eric Chassard, Bruce Power\u2019s president and CEO, described the result as proof that large nuclear projects in Ontario can deliver \u201creal long-term financial benefits for ratepayers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Also Read: Canada wants up to 10 new nuclear reactors in 15 years, betting on an old design to reshape its grid<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This is more than just a successful construction story. It means power coming back to the grid earlier, savings flowing back to consumers and one more piece of Ontario\u2019s low-carbon electricity system staying in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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