Focus on nuclear power expansion to create 350 jobs in Cambridge

A new deal to bolster Ontario's nuclear power plan will create hundreds of jobs in Cambridge, Ont. Hannah Schmidt has the details.

A move to boost Ontario’s nuclear power capabilities will create hundreds of new jobs in Cambridge.

The provincial government has given Ontario Power Generation the green light to sign contracts with BWXT Canada to build components for both its Pickering and Darlington plants.

The deal is valued at over $1 billion.

“Two contracts, 350 net jobs,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Electrification, at Monday’s announcement. “It’s all part of our position to really protect our province and create jobs in this community.”

Employees at the BWXT Canada facility, located on Coronation Boulevard in Cambridge, will be tasked with building 48 new steam generators for the Pickering site. Those generators will convert heat from the reactor into steam, which then drives the turbines to create electricity.

Workers will also make components for Darlington’s small modular reactor, described as the first of its kind in the G7.

“It takes about three years to make a steam generator,” said John MacQuarrie, BWXT Canada’s president of commercial operations. “But of course, in this case, we’re making 48. If you think of those in a series, over time, it’s about a seven-year contract for us from start to finish.”

That means the manufacturer will need to hire engineers, support staff and skilled tradespeople.

“We’re hiring right now,” MacQuarrie said. “We’ve got a plan to reach a peak that will add about 350 jobs in the near future. These are steel worker jobs in these factories, so welders, fitters, machinists and engineers.”

But that’s not all.

“We’re also working with a variety of other SMR developers, because we’re using our expertise, that we’ve got here from our business, to help them design their components and help them deploy their reactors around the region.”

The new contracts are good news for both workers and the community.

“What it means for us is we’ve got really good long-term work, which means that we can plan for the future,” MacQuarrie explained.

Lecce said the ultimate goal is to produce more clean energy and lower energy rates in the province.

BWXT Canada is already undergoing an $80 million expansion at its Cambridge facility so it can do more work on small modular reactors.