OPG’s Pickering Nuclear station celebrates historic 2023 energy production
At a glance
- Pickering Nuclear continues its impressive run of generating carbon-free, reliable power for Ontario.
- In 2023, the nuclear workhorse recorded its second-highest output as a six-unit station.
- The station meets about 14% of Ontario’s electricity needs.
In 2023, OPG’s Pickering Nuclear Generating Station stepped up in a big way to power Ontario’s energy needs as the station recorded its highest generation output since 2019 and its second-highest output as a six-unit station.
Last year, the plant produced a total of 21.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) of carbon-free and reliable energy, enough to power more than two million homes in Ontario. Each year, the station accounts for about 14% of Ontario’s electricity needs.
“Pickering Nuclear’s historical energy output in 2023 is a testament to the dedication of the station and support staff, powering Ontario’s grid during a time when energy supply is lower than usual due to the ongoing nuclear refurbishments at Darlington and Bruce Power,” said Jon Franke, Senior Vice President of Pickering Nuclear. “Pickering’s ability to generate more power during this time has helped reduce overall system costs and lower environmental emissions from alternative sources of energy.”
This is just the latest milestone in Pickering’s impressive run of production.
Pickering Nuclear’s historical energy output in 2023 is a testament to the dedication of the station and support staff, powering Ontario’s grid during a time when energy supply is lower than usual due to the ongoing nuclear refurbishments.Jon FrankeSenior Vice President of Pickering Nuclear
In the last few years, the station has achieved its best performance in its history. In 2022, all six operating units ran simultaneously to supply energy for 109 consecutive days, a station record. And in 2020, Pickering’s Unit 4 experienced a record consecutive run of 730 days. Both feats are a testament to the station’s continued reliability.
In addition to providing clean, reliable baseload power for Ontario, Pickering also produces around 20% of the world’s supply of Cobalt-60, a life-saving medical isotope used to irradiate and sterilize single-use medical devices as well as various foods and spices around the world.
Across its operations, OPG uses sophisticated monitoring and measurement systems to track each of its station’s performance. These measurements are crucial for assessing the efficiency, reliability, and overall health of the company’s generation infrastructure. Regular measurements allow OPG to identify potential issues quickly and use corrective actions when needed to ensure optimal performance.
Accurate measurement also plays an important role in OPG’s decision-making processes. By analyzing historical data and real-time metrics, such as output levels and fuel consumption, the company can make informed decisions about maintenance schedules, upgrades, and capacity planning to ensure a sustainable and reliable energy supply for Ontario.
For more information on Pickering Nuclear, be sure to look out for upcoming community information sessions taking place in February here.
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