Bruce Power has awarded a CAD1.3 billion (USD1 billion) contract for fuel channel and feeder replacement (FCFR) for its remaining four Major Component Replacement (MCR) projects to Shoreline Power Group. The announcement comes as fuel loading begins at Bruce unit 6 ahead of that unit's planned return to service on completion of its MCR.

The contract means Shoreline will have done all the FCFR work for the six Bruce MCRs (Image: United Engineers & Constructors)

The new 10-year contract means Shoreline Power - a joint venture of Aecon, SNC-Lavalin and United Engineers and Constructors - is now contracted to carry out FCFR work for all six Bruce units undergoing MCR.

"We're pleased to be able to partner with Shoreline Power Group for the entirety of our Major Component Replacement project over the next decade to perform the major component replacement portion of our Life Extension Program," Bruce Power President and CEO said Mike Rencheck said. "Part of Shoreline's commitment is to deliver the next two MCRs more efficiently and cost-effectively than the previous one leveraging our lessons learned and best practices," he added.

The new contract, which covers Bruce units 4, 5, 7 and 8, comes as the first Bruce unit to undergo MCR - unit 6 - prepares to return to service, and as work continues to progress on Bruce 3, the second Candu unit at the site to undergo MCR. The MCR programme will extend the operating life of the site, near Tiverton in Ontario, to 2064.

The scope of FCFR work for all units includes internal reactor inspections, the removal and replacement of fuel channels and feeder tubes, as well as project management, construction management and field execution. Planning work for FCFR at the last four units is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2023, with construction expected to begin in the first quarter of 2025 and completion anticipated in 2032.

Aecon said its share of the contract is worth CAD1 billion. SNC-Lavalin's portion of the contract is worth some CAD173 million, and covers project management services associated with the reactor refurbishment. United Engineers & Constructors, with Aecon and Framatome, is also the Steam Generator Replacement Team (SGRT) joint venture which is contracted to replace steam generators at Bruce Units 3, 4 and 6.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News