nuclear-news

Point Lepreau nuclear power station – too many expensive shutdowns

Ongoing Lepreau maintenance outage is 5th since 2018 to go over budget.

N.B. Power told to get more ‘realistic’ about its nuclear planning and budgeting

Robert Jones · CBC News · May 24, 2023 

N.B. Power is finding itself mired in another slow-moving and pricey maintenance shutdown at the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station after a faulty seal on a pump delayed a restart of the plant last week.

It’s the fifth planned outage at the station since 2018 to hit delays and go over its budget. 

The recurring problem is one that an outside review blames largely on optimism inside N.B. Power that maintenance work at the station will go according to plan — despite years of experience showing it rarely does…………………..

Previous planned outages that dragged on longer than expected in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 cost N.B. Power a combined $202 million more than expected, worsening its already fragile finances.

Utility’s struggles linked to Lepreau maintenance problems

A recent Price Waterhouse Coopers Canada review of N.B. Power operations found planned maintenance outages at Lepreau that went poorly have been a key contributor to the utility’s financial struggles. 

It blamed much of that on rosy expectations inside N.B. Power that fixing issues at the plant will go better in the future than it has in the past……………………………………. more https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/lepreau-maintenance-outage-1.6852499

May 26, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Canada