B.C. pipe welder embraces the experience of the Darlington Refurb
Commuting to work has taken on a new meaning for Suveen Thandi, a pipe welder working on OPG's Darlington Refurbishment project.
“I was born and raised in Surrey, B.C.,” said Thandi, who has made Bowmanville, Ont., her home while working on the project. “I travel back home every three months or so to visit family and friends.”
Following five years of welding experience, which included working at shipyards and on an aluminum smelter project in B.C., Thandi was contracted a year ago by E.S. Fox to help refurbish the first of four nuclear reactors at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station. “At first, the idea of working in nuclear was intimidating, but my opinion has changed a lot,” she said. “The training here is in-depth and the safety focus is huge.”
As a result of an increasing demand for skilled trades, particularly welders and boilermakers, OPG’s contract partners have been recruiting far and wide for the talent and expertise needed to complete work on the $12.8-billion initiative.
This demand is why qualified people like Thandi are getting the opportunity to build their careers by working on the largest clean energy project in Canada.
“Everything on this project is just at a bigger level. It’s so different from other fields where I’ve worked,” said Thandi.
“In nuclear, expectations are higher for us, and the work is always challenging. You do new things you’ve never done before, like welding inside a reactor vault.”
Before she was able to start work at the Darlington Nuclear power plant, Thandi had to successfully complete a series of pipe weld tests. She was then required to attend a three-week on-boarding program focused on safety within a nuclear environment.
Despite the demanding process, Thandi is happy to have gone through it all.
“I miss my family and the mountains back home, but I really enjoy it here,” she said. “I want to stay on the project for as long as possible. Being here is making me an even better welder.
“The kind of experience I’m getting here on the project, it just really can’t be compared.”
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