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Need for Refurbishment

Although the station has performed well since it went into service in 1983, key reactor components (pressure tubes and feeder pipes) are nearing the point in time in which they will need to be replaced. Although pressure tubes and feeder pipes have been replaced on an individual basis, the number of pressure tubes requiring replacement increases significantly after 2008.

Hagler Bailly Review

In light of a number of technical and operating issues experienced at the facility between 1995 and 1997, NB Power commissioned Hagler Bailly to conduct a technical and economic assessment of the Point Lepreau Generating Station. Significant events during this period resulted in reduced capacity factor and additional OM&A costs, which led to concerns over the continued viable operation of the station. The March 1998 report concluded that the Point Lepreau Generating Station should not be shut down in the near-term, and given natural gas prices at the time, life extension could be economically viable through refurbishment between 2005 and 2011 with the most probable date of outage commencement being 2008. The report recommended that continued investment in the plant should occur to preserve the option to refurbish.

Project Initiation

In mid 1999, NB Power concluded that the corporation should begin to plan for refurbishment with an outage date starting in April 2006. This date was selected to provide a two-year contingency recognizing the severe economic consequences to the province of an earlier than planned forced shutdown. In February 2000, a preliminary plan for refurbishment assessment was presented to the NB Power Board of Directors. Consequently, approval was granted for a study to define the detailed scope and cost estimate for refurbishment of the Point Lepreau Generating Station verses an alternative energy supply. The assessment was to be completed by the end of 2001 to allow decision and four years engineering prior to a planned April 2006 outage start.

Phase I – Project Definition

In December 2001, NB Power completed the two-year comprehensive study looking into the scope and cost of refurbishing the Point Lepreau Generating Station so that it could operate for another 25 to 30 years. As part of this study a rigorous review of plant systems was conducted to address issues relating to ageing and obsolescence. This study indicated that the majority of plant components were capable of supporting extended operation without needing replacement or changes outside the scope of regular maintenance activities. In addition, an extensive safety and licensing assessment was also conducted and a lengthy dialogue with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) staff took place to ensure that NB Power had a clear understanding of the expectations of the regulator. As a result of this work, the scope and cost of the project was determined. NB Power used this information, along with the long term operating costs of the Point Lepreau Generating Station and compared it to alternate forms of power generation. It was found that the most cost effective option was to refurbish the Point Lepreau Generating Station.