Bruce Power in Ontario, Canada, hit a significant milestone on its Unit 4 reactor refurbishment, and it happened in record time.

The project team finished installing 480 calandria tubes, which are critical parts of the reactor. They beat their previous Unit 3 record by a full 25 days, setting a new benchmark for CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) reactor refits.

Custom robotic systems played a major role in hitting the milestone.

The team used a six-axis robotic system directly on the reactor face. It inserts components into each calandria tube and seals them tight using microscopic measurements. Bruce Power first tested this setup during the Unit 3 project. They took what they learned, made a few tweaks, and put the refined process to work on Unit 4. The automation helps protect human workers by limiting radiation exposure while delivering pinpoint precision.

In fact, back in August, the crew set a single-day record by installing 20 tubes in 24 hours, beating the old mark of 16.

Keeping the Energy Flowing with Robotic Assistance

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Robotic systems help nuclear reactor refurbishment; Photo: Bruce Power

The designs, testing, and operation were led by Bruce Power, Shoreline Power Group, ATS Automation, and Calian Engineering.

“Once again, Ontario’s nuclear sector is demonstrating its world leadership and proven track record of delivering large-scale refurbishments on budget and ahead of schedule,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines. “Made-in-Ontario innovation accelerated the competition of the Unit 4 Major Component Replacement, delivering another record at Bruce. With electricity demand projected to rise by up to 90 per cent by 2050, Ontario continues to set the benchmark for the world as we build new nuclear for the next generation, creating 150,000 new jobs.”

This installation marks the halfway point for the Life-Extension Program at Bruce Power, which aims to update Units 3 through 8 by 2033. Units 3 and 6 are already back online. Unit 5 is up next in November, with Units 7 and 8 to follow.

“We are returning our units to service with very high quality, providing clean, reliable and affordable electricity for the people of Ontario for decades to come, while ensuring a very stable supply of cancer-fighting medical isotopes for patients around the world,” said Eric Chassard, Bruce Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our skilled tradespeople, Project Team and expert nuclear supply chain are leading the way in safety, quality, innovation and overall performance as we build a clean energy future.”