Bruce Power: Unit 4 Reactor Rebuild Hits Key Milestone Early

Unit 4 Calandria Tube Installation Reaches 25-Day Milestone Ahead of Schedule

Engineers at an Ontario nuclear power station reached a major milestone in rebuilding a reactor core, finishing a crucial stage almost a month ahead of schedule. Bruce Power reported that its Unit 4 reactor completed the phase 25 days faster than the previous unit, successfully fitting all 480 calandria tubes that form the heart of the vessel. Work will now transition to installing the fuel channels as part of the Life-Extension Program.

The Tech TL;DR:

• Bruce Power fitted all 480 calandria tubes in the Unit 4 reactor core 25 days faster than the previous unit using advanced six-axis automation.
• Siemens Energy Canada will supply new high-pressure steam turbines for all four Bruce A reactors between 2028 and 2031 to inject an extra 125 megawatts of clean electricity into the grid.
• The multi-billion-dollar overhaul of Units 3 through 8 targets completion by 2033 to support rising provincial power demand and medical isotope production.

Advanced Robotics and Cold-Working Automation Inside Unit 4

The rapid pace of the core rebuild inside Unit 4 was made possible by advanced automation. Technicians deployed a state-of-the-art robotic tooling system to seal the reactor components, operating on both faces of the reactor simultaneously. The machine slides an insert into each tube and rolls the metal to an exact diameter through a microscopic cold-working process that locks the joint into a permanent, leak-tight seal. This robotic approach removed the need for manual work in hazardous radiation fields, protecting tradespeople from high exposure.

The equipment was built through a domestic partnership, with Bruce Power developing and testing the tools alongside Shoreline Power Group, ATS Automation, and Calian Engineering. Applying lessons learned from the earlier Unit 3 refit, the crew set a single-day CANDU record in August by fitting 20 tubes in 24 hours, beating the previous mark of 16.

Projected 90 Percent Demand Surge and Grid Capacity Boost

The accelerated timeline comes at a critical juncture for Canada’s most populous province, where officials expect electricity demand to jump by 90 percent by 2050. To help meet this need, Bruce Power hired Siemens Energy Canada to supply new high-pressure steam turbines for all four Bruce A reactors, with installation scheduled between 2028 and 2031. The upgraded machinery will run more efficiently to generate an extra 30 megawatts of electricity from each reactor without burning extra fuel, injecting nearly 125 megawatts of extra clean electricity into the provincial grid.

Stephen Lecce, Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Mines, praised the project, stating that the nuclear sector demonstrates a proven track record of delivering large-scale refurbishments on budget and ahead of schedule while supporting 150,000 jobs across new provincial nuclear initiatives.

Bruce Power Aims to Return All Reactors by 2033

Unit 4 represents the midpoint in Bruce Power’s multi-billion-dollar Life-Extension Program, which spans Units 3 through 8 to return all six reactors to service by 2033. Units 6 and 3 have already returned to commercial service. Technicians will shut down Unit 5 to start its refit this November, with Units 7 and 8 scheduled to follow in sequence. Beyond powering the grid, Eric Chassard, the chief executive of Bruce Power, noted that the refurbished reactors will also maintain a dependable supply of cancer-fighting medical isotopes for hospitals around the world.

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