Pickering Nuclear Generating Station

Located in Pickering, Ontario (just east of Toronto), Ontario Power Generation’s Pickering Nuclear Generating Station (GS) is one of the largest nuclear stations in the world and has been safely and reliably providing Ontario with power for decades.

Learn more about this world-class facility, which features six operating CANDU® reactors (CANadian Deuterium Uranium), and accounts for approximately 14% of Ontario’s electricity needs, while generating power that is virtually emissions-free.

A message from Ken Hartwick, OPG’s President & CEO about Pickering Nuclear Generating Station

Climate change threatens our way of life and the wellbeing of our entire planet. We hear this every day and see the devastating impacts of extreme weather. It would be easy to throw up our arms and lose hope. But at OPG, we are hopeful because we know we have the power to make a difference, for the environment and our economy.

Growing a strong economy while protecting the environment requires a stable supply of more clean power and a reliable grid that can support electrification of other sectors like transportation and heavy industry. As an abundant source of carbon-free electricity that’s available at all times of the day and year, the role of nuclear is more vital than ever.

Nuclear power is already the backbone of Ontario’s electricity system, providing approximately 60% of its power, and Durham is home to two of the province’s most important clean energy assets. The Darlington Nuclear Generating Station is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment that will secure another 30 years of operation. And through ongoing investments and the hard work of employees, Pickering Nuclear is seeing its strongest performance ever, including achieving its highest yearly production output and its best equipment reliability ratings.

Acting now to address climate change and strengthen our economy

With two of Ontario’s nuclear stations, Darlington and Bruce, progressing through their refurbishments at the same time, we are seeking the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s (CNSC) approval to continue operating Pickering’s Units 5 through 8 to the end of September 2026 to ensure we can lead Ontario’s clean energy transformation. Units 1 and 4 will retire at the end of 2024 as planned.

Continued operations of Units 5 – 8 will have many benefits to customers, the economy, and the environment including:

Reducing CO₂emissions by 2.1 megatonnes in 2026 – the equivalent of taking up to 643,000 cars off the road.
Protecting 4,500 jobs.
Ensuring a stable supply of Cobalt 60, a critical medical isotope used in lifesaving medicine (Pickering provides 20% of the North American supply – and 10% of the world’s supply).
It’s also a cost-effective option to help meet electricity system needs given the current inflationary and supply chain challenges affecting the world.

Looking beyond 2026

The Province has also asked OPG to conduct a feasibility assessment on the potential for refurbishing Units 5 – 8. Over the next year, we will conduct a comprehensive technical examination and hope to submit a final recommendation to the Province by the end of 2023.

In 2009, OPG reviewed the environmental and safety case for refurbishing Units 5 – 8, and although there was community support for the refurbishment, a decision was made to not pursue the project due to the challenging economics, stagnant electricity demand, and anticipated supply chain issues and costs.

We have learned a lot about refurbishment since 2009 and through our Darlington project, which remains on time and on budget, and will apply these learnings to our feasibility assessment of Pickering.

Safety will always be priority #1

For decades, the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station has safely and reliably powered the lives of millions of Ontarians. The men and women who have devoted themselves to the station’s operations have done so with tremendous dedication, a steadfast commitment to meeting rigorous safety requirements and standards, and under the watchful eye of onsite CNSC staff.

But none of their efforts, or the millions of hours of clean energy produced, would be possible without our neighbours. I want to thank the residents of Pickering and the entire Durham community. With your ongoing support, we have the opportunity to do great things to help secure Ontario’s clean energy future.

And you have my commitment that we will continue to put the health and safety of our communities and the environment above all else. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about Pickering Nuclear, I encourage you to drop by our public information center at 1675 Montgomery Road in Pickering or call us at 905-837-7272.

Respectfully,

Ken Hartwick
President & CEO, Ontario Power Generation

Frequently asked questions

Why are you continuing operations at Pickering?

We know, as Ontario’s other nuclear power plants undergo refurbishment, there will be a need for additional electricity through the summer of 2026. The Minister of Energy asked OPG to review opportunities to make the best use of existing non-emitting assets and reduce reliance on natural gas. In response, we reviewed our proposed shutdown plan for Pickering Nuclear Generating Station and concluded that the facility could continue to safely generate electricity through September 2026.

Is it safe?

We would not continue to operate if we could not do so safely.

A previous study has shown Pickering Nuclear Generating Station can run safely beyond 2025. Beyond that, we take hundreds, if not thousands, of measurements daily to validate the integrity of various systems. Every day, we demonstrate our safety through our operations, with CSNC staff on site to ensure we are meeting their rigorous requirements and standards. Our people live and work in Pickering and surrounding communities, and public and environmental safety is more than a top priority; it is part of who we are.

Do you need approval to continue operations?

Over the next year, OPG will submit a licence application to the CNSC, to request approval to operate Pickering Units 5-8 past the currently approved date of December 31, 2024. The CNSC, which employs a rigorous and transparent decision-making process, will make the final decision regarding Pickering’s safe operating life.

What about current staff?

Even if a decision is made to refurbish Units 5 – 8, our organization will change as we remove Pickering units from service, place Units 1 and 4 into safe storage, and layup Units 5 – 8 until we are ready to execute refurbishment scope. OPG's workforce in coming years, whether Pickering operations are ended or paused, will be different. OPG will continue to prepare the company and our workforce for the future beyond 2025.

We may not know exactly what the future holds, but we are preparing for all possibilities. The programs and processes that we are establishing today, including redeployment provisions, are flexible and will enable us to pivot as our work programs evolve. We will continue to move through this planning to prepare employees and our business for this transition. This includes assisting those employees whose positions will be surplus by supporting them in creating individual career pathways.

We will share our plans first with employees, then with the community, as decisions are made.

Is it possible to refurbish Units 5-8? What will the feasibility study consider?

The feasibility study on Pickering refurbishment will consider a number of matters, including:

Technical assessments of all major components
Condition assessments of balance of plant components
Technical feasibility and scope
Business and economic viability compared to potential alternatives
Skilled workforce availability
Material availability, and
Environmental and regulatory considerations.

Didn’t you previously consider refurbishing Pickering?

Yes, the Pickering Refurbishment project was previously initiated in 2006. An approved Environmental Assessment (EA) was received for the project in 2009. Several major factors were considered at the time, including the challenges of securing long-lead time supply chain products as well as resourcing, given the timelines of Darlington refurbishment and the Bruce Power major component replacement program. OPG subsequently paused the project to focus on continued operations of the station.

What’s changed?

We know, since we last considered this, some of the context has changed, including that:

Darlington refurbishment has recapitalized and revitalized the supply chain and well-trained workforce necessary to complete this type of work.
Darlington refurbishment will be complete in 2026, freeing up many workers with the skills and experience necessary to refurbish a CANDU nuclear power plant.
Climate change has become a much more pressing issue, and we know we can’t get to net-zero without nuclear energy.

What’s the timeline for this study? How much will it cost?

OPG expects to complete the feasibility study over the course of the next year. This study will build on previous work completed for the Pickering Refurbishment project. As scope has not yet been determined, we can’t provide a cost estimate at this time.

Why nuclear?

As the world around us continues to rapidly change, jurisdictions everywhere are acting to secure their energy independence while also addressing the growing impacts of climate change on their communities. Ontario is uniquely positioned to continue to lead the way in climate action and grow our economy because of our diverse electricity system, robust supply chains, and highly skilled workforce. But a growing economy will need a stable supply of more clean power and a reliable grid that can support electrification of other sectors like transportation and heavy industry. As an abundant source of carbon-free electricity that’s available at all times of the day and year, the role of nuclear is more vital than ever.

Nuclear power is the backbone of Ontario’s electricity system, providing approximately 60% of the province’s power.

Why Pickering?

Through the ongoing investments and efforts of our employees, Pickering is seeing its strongest performance ever, including achieving its highest yearly production output and its best equipment reliability ratings. In 2021, Units 4 and 6 ranked among the top 10 CANDU reactors in the world. The station’s strong operational and safety performance is also recognized by the CNSC and industry peers.

Continued operations of Units 5 – 8 through the summer of 2026 will have many benefits to customers, the economy and the environment, including:

Reducing CO₂emissions by 2.1 megatonnes in 2026 – the equivalent of taking up to 643,000 cars off the road.
Protecting 4,500 jobs for an additional year-plus.
Ensuring a stable supply of Cobalt 60, a critical medical isotope used in lifesaving medicine (Pickering provides 20% of the North American supply – and 10% of the world’s supply).

OPG is in a great position to refurbish Pickering. No one knows our station better than our employees, and we have demonstrated our ability to bring in large projects like refurbishment on time and on budget. But, it’s also important to recognize that deciding to assess the feasibility of refurbishing Pickering Units 5 – 8 is the first step of a significant and complex undertaking.

I’d like to learn more about Pickering Nuclear and what this announcement could mean for my community.

We’re always here to answer questions. If you’d like to learn more about the station or nuclear power in general, you can drop by our public information center or by completing our Contact Us form.

Pickering nuclear operations

3,100 Megawatts

is the total output at Pickering

4,500 Jobs

protected until 2025

14 per cent

of Ontario’s electricity is produced at Pickering

2.1 megatonne

reduction in CO₂emissions in 2026

Our generating station

Facility type:
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Safety is our #1 priority

Learn about the nuclear safety systems designed to keep you safe.

Exterior of the Pickering Nuclear Information Centre

Pickering Nuclear Info Centre

1675 Montgomery Park Road
Pickering, Ontario

TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS

During these renovations, visitors can contact us by phone at 905-837-7272, by completing our Contact Us form, or by visiting our Darlington Nuclear Information Centre at 1855 Energy Drive, Courtice, ON.