Canadian agency details economic benefits from Darlington nuclear plant revamp

The Conference Board of Canada (CBC) released a report on Monday detailing economic benefits from Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) Darlington Nuclear Plant refurbishment project.

The company said approximately 20 percent of electricity in Ontario, Canada, is produced at the facility. The report, released by OPG and prepared by the CBC, said the refurbishment project is expected to benefit Ontario’s gross domestic product by  approximately $14.9 billion by 2026 and that over a 17-year period, approximately 8,800 jobs are expected to be created.

"With approximately 96 percent of the project's expenditures taking place in Ontario, the refurbishment of the Darlington station would support a significant number of jobs and economic activity in Ontario in a wide range of sectors, including electric power engineering, construction, manufacturing, transportation, and financial and insurance  services," Deputy Chief Economist of the Conference Board of Canada Pedro Antunes said.

The facility is reaching the midpoint of its operational lifetime, and the OPG is currently investing $12.8 billion into refurbishing the plant, which would support numerous positions in manufacturing, construction, engineering for electrical power and other industries.