Bruce Power has set out to achieve a couple of key milestones for the company’s ‘Made in Ontario’ economic recovery plan.
The nuclear operator announced Thursday, its new ‘Project 2030,’ which has a goal of achieving a new site peak power output of 7,000 megawatts by 2030.
In the shorter term, a new site generation peak of 6,550 megawatts (when all eight units are operating) was announced which would be an increase over a peak of 6,300 megawatts in 2016. Bruce power says that 250 megawatt increase to 6,550 megawatts would be enough to power 250,000 homes businesses and hospitals.
It also announced a Cobalt-60 isotope harvest later this year which Bruce Power says will provide enough isotopes to sterilize 10 billion pairs of surgical gloves and COVID-19 swabs. Isotopes from this harvest will also reportedly be used in the treatment of breast cancer and brain tumours.
Bruce Power’s ‘Made in Ontario Economic Recovery Plan’ was announced in July and involves a $3 billion economic investment over a period of 18 months through the company’s life-extension, isotope development and asset optimization strategy.
Ontario Energy Minister Todd Smith says in a statement, “By increasing its energy output, Bruce Power is leading the way, providing clean energy to hundreds of thousands of additional homes, while at the same time harvesting medical isotopes that will save lives, including in the fight against cancer.”
Bruce Power President and CEO Mike Rencheck says, “We are moving forward with our five-point economic recovery plan and (Thursday’s) milestones demonstrate we’re advancing this at a time when our province and our planet need it most.”
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker supports the announcement, saying in a statement, “Baseload, clean nuclear power and medical isotopes play key roles in our everyday lives, and COVID-19 certainly accentuated the importance isotopes play in the sterilization of critical supplies and our health care system.”
Huron-Bruce MPP and Minister of Agriculture Lisa Thompson states, “Project 2030 is an impressive goal and one that I know will be reached by Bruce Power,” adding, “Their commitment to expanding the supply of affordable energy while also meeting climate change targets is commendable and I congratulate everyone involved.”
Bruce Power says a feasibility review of opportunities is being conducted to achieve the 2030 goal, and individual initiatives will be announced as they are approved.