A New Era Set to Begin at OPG’s Pickering Nuclear Station
September 21, 2026
OPG is taking Pickering Nuclear’s Units 5 to 8 offline ahead of their refurbishment starting next year, pending regulatory approvals.
The company and its project partners continue to plan and prepare for refurbishment work with the help of local suppliers.
Pickering Nuclear’s renewal will help secure more than 2,000 megawatts of power for Ontario’s future, enough to power about 2 million homes.
A storied chapter in Pickering Nuclear’s history is drawing to a close – and a new one is set to begin.
This September, OPG will begin taking Pickering Nuclear’s Units 5 to 8 offline in preparation for Ontario’s next major nuclear refurbishment project.
Pending regulatory approvals, refurbishment work on these units, starting with Unit 5, is expected to begin early next year. This planned transition marks both the end of decades of clean, reliable operation from these units and the beginning of the station’s renewal to help power Ontario’s clean energy future.
Over the years, Pickering Nuclear has consistently met up to 14% of Ontario’s electricity needs.
Since it first began operating in 1971, Pickering Nuclear has established itself as one of the world’s largest and best-performing nuclear facilities. Through its refurbishment, we will ensure this important station continues to play a vital role in powering Ontario for future generations.
Nicolle Butcher
President and CEO, OPG
At the station and across the province, OPG continues to advance preparation for the massive, complex refurbishment program – among the largest infrastructure projects in Canada. This includes constructing a new 200,000-square-foot Retube Feeder and Boiler Replacement Training and Mock-up facility and advancing manufacturing of major components, including steam generators, with supply chain partners.
On Sept. 21, the Province of Ontario announced more than $3 billion worth of contracts have been signed with major Canadian partners to execute Pickering’s refurbishment. This includes a retube, feeder, and boiler replacement contract with Aecon Group Inc. and Candu Energy worth approximately $1.7 billion and a turbine-generator replacement contract with Aecon Group Inc. and Siemens Energy Canada worth approximately $1.3 billion.
Aiding this project will be more than 8,000 lessons learned through OPG’s under-budget, ahead-of-schedule Darlington Refurbishment project, which was completed in March.
Once complete, the refurbished Pickering Nuclear will secure 2,100 megawatts of clean, reliable electricity for another 30-plus years – enough to power the equivalent of more than 2 million homes.
The project will help meet Ontario’s growing electricity demand, support economic growth, strengthen the province’s nuclear supply chain, and create and sustain thousands of jobs across Durham Region, Ontario, and Canada. It will also be a significant contributor to Canada’s energy security.
Built with Canadian technology and a made-in-Ontario supply chain, the refurbishment is expected to contribute $41.6 billion to Canada’s GDP, with more than 90 per cent of project spending staying in Ontario and Canada.
Major contracts awarded to Ontario-based suppliers as part of this work include:
- Aecon Group Inc. and Candu Energy, an AtkinsRéalis company, for the execution phase of Pickering’s Unit 5 Retube, Feeder and Boiler Replacement (RFBR) project, valued at approximately $1.7 billion.
- Aecon Group Inc. and Siemens Energy Canada, for Turbine Generator Replacement, including the installation of 14 steam turbine rotors, full stator rewinds, the overhaul of four generators, the delivery of new auxiliary systems and a control and monitoring system valued at $1.3 billion.
“Ontario’s investments in critical infrastructure and our key industries are creating new opportunities for workers across the province,” said Trevor Jones, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “At a time of global economic uncertainty, we are creating good-paying jobs here at home and ensuring our workers have access to the training they need to seize them. By expanding access to apprenticeships and skills training, we are building the workforce Ontario needs to deliver major projects like the Pickering refurbishment and support our continued growth.”
Beyond providing reliable electricity, the Pickering refurbishment will deliver lasting benefits for workers, families and communities across Durham Region and Ontario. The refurbishment will protect highly skilled local jobs and generate more than $17 billion in economic activity across Durham Region and Ontario, creating opportunities for local businesses and communities. Building on Ontario’s world-class nuclear expertise and the lessons learned from the ahead-of-schedule, under-budget Darlington Refurbishment Project, a new 200,000-square-foot Retube, Feeder and Boiler Replacement Training and Mock-up facility will train more than 2,800 skilled trades workers ahead of refurbishment activities, strengthening Ontario’s workforce and made-in-Ontario nuclear supply chain.
“The Pickering Nuclear Refurbishment is a historic investment in Ontario’s clean energy future,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, MPP for Pickering-Uxbridge. “By creating more than 30,000 jobs, generating billions in economic activity and strengthening our made-in-Ontario nuclear supply chain, this project will deliver generational benefits for workers and families in Pickering and communities across the province.”
Refurbishing Ontario’s nuclear fleet is a key pillar of Energy for Generations, our government’s first-ever integrated energy plan to ensure Ontario has the reliable, affordable power needed to support new homes, attract investment and drive economic growth. By extending the life of proven nuclear assets, Ontario is securing decades of electricity at a lower cost than replacing that generation with new sources of power.
Quick Facts
- The Pickering refurbishment builds on Ontario’s proven track record of delivering major nuclear projects, including the Darlington refurbishment delivered nearly five months ahead of schedule and $150 million under budget and the recent Bruce Power Unit 3 Major Component Replacement, completed seven months ahead of schedule and under budget, saving ratepayers $150 million.
- The Pickering “B” refurbishment is expected to secure a long-term supply of Cobalt-60, a life-saving medical isotope used worldwide in cancer treatments and in the sterilization of medical equipment and food products, while supporting the government’s work to double the number of medical isotopes produced in the province over the next four years.
- Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) forecasts that the province’s electricity demand could increase by as much as 90 per cent by 2050, due to population growth, new housing, electrification, advanced manufacturing, and expansion of critical minerals supply chains.
- In September 2022, the Ontario government announced that OPG would continue to safely operate the “B” units (units 5 to 8) at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station through September 2026, pending CNSC approval.
- In October 2024, CNSC authorized Pickering B units to operate until the end of 2026. Further operation of Pickering B units would require a complete refurbishment.
- In December 2024, OPG completed the Project Initiation Phase of the Pickering refurbishment which included early engineering and design work, as well as securing components that require the longest-lead times.
- In January 2025, the government approved OPG to proceed with the Project Definition Phase of the Pickering refurbishment that will continue through 2026.
- In November 2025, the Ontario government approved OPG’s plan to refurbish four CANDU nuclear reactors at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station.
- Nuclear power currently provides about 50 per cent of Ontario’s electricity supply and has positioned Ontario as one of the cleanest electricity grids in the world.
- Ontario’s nuclear industry currently supports around 80,000 good-paying jobs in communities across the province.
