Darlington’s Unit 1 heads into planned outage after record-breaking run
After a record-setting run of more than three years of continuous operation, Unit 1 at Darlington Nuclear Generating Station is finally taking a well-deserved break.
A key component of OPG’s commitment to be a net-zero carbon company by 2040, the 878-megawatt unit was taken offline February 5 for its final planned inspection and maintenance outage prior to its refurbishment in 2022.
Last September, Unit 1 set a new world record for continuous operation of a nuclear power reactor at 963 days. In total, the unit produced clean electricity for Ontario for an extraordinary 1,106 continuous days, or just more than three years, since going online Jan. 26, 2018.
“Unit 1’s record-setting run highlights the excellent work carried out by our dedicated nuclear professionals throughout the pandemic to ensure Ontarians and frontline workers battling COVID-19 can count on a steady supply of power 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Sean Granville, OPG’s Chief Operating Officer. “It also highlights the effectiveness of our preventive maintenance programs, and the overall reliability of our nuclear fleet.”
The outage team will now inspect Unit 1’s equipment, including fuel channels, and carry out maintenance in areas that aren’t normally accessible during unit operation. The outage scope also includes upgrading the unit’s reactivity control systems and completing preparatory work required prior to refurbishment.
“Unit 1’s record-setting run highlights the excellent work carried out by our dedicated nuclear professionals throughout the pandemic to ensure Ontarians and frontline workers battling COVID-19 can count on a steady supply of power 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”Sean Granville, OPG’s Chief Operating Officer
Last year, Unit 1 set several new benchmarks for the nuclear industry. On Sept. 15, 2020, the clean power stalwart broke the previous record of 962 days set by India’s Kaiga power station in December 2018. And on July 9, the reactor set a new Canadian and North American nuclear record with 895 straight days of consecutive operation. Pickering Nuclear’s Unit 7 held the previous record at 894 days.
“Work completed during the last outage as well as maintenance work performed while the unit was online both contributed to Unit 1’s record run,” said Charlie Qaqish, Section Manager for Outages at Darlington. “This extraordinary performance is a positive reflection of the planning and teamwork by both employees and contract staff.”
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