SNC-Lavalin, a subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin Nuclear Inc., with joint venture (JV) partners Aecon Group Inc. and AECOM, have been awarded the fuel channel and feeder replacement (FCFR) contract from Bruce Power. The contract for Unit 6 is valued at CAD 475M and is the centrepiece of Bruce Power’s Major Component Replacement Project. SNC-Lavalin holds a 40% share in the project. The joint venture will work together under the banner Shoreline Power Group. This project is in support of Bruce Power’s Life Extension Program which will allow Bruce Power’s CANDU units to continue to operate safely through to 2064.
The scope of work under the contract encompasses all necessary planning and executing activities for the reactor refurbishment. Planning will commence immediately in preparation for the outage scheduled in 2020 when the actual work to replace the components will be performed, anticipating completion in the third quarter of 2022. The JV is also responsible for the management of the complex, robotic tooling required for the work, along with full training of the workforce.
The JV partners also signed a Preferred Supplier Agreement with Bruce Power under which the JV could be awarded similar contracts for the subsequent 5 Units.
Starting with Unit 6, the CANDU Reactors comprising Bruce Units 3 to 8 will be refurbished over the subsequent 16 years. SNC-Lavalin will allocate staff who will be exclusive to this project and utilize its established base in Port Elgin to deliver work on Unit 6 and any other subsequent refurbishments.