OPG says first Darlington small reactor will miss 2030 date

World Nuclear News reported that Ontario Power Generation (OPG) said its first small reactor at Darlington, east of Toronto, will miss its October 2030 target. OPG, a utility wholly owned by Ontario, said the unit will also exceed its $7.7 billion estimate, which includes systems shared by all planned reactors. It is the project’s second slip, and OPG and GE Vernova Hitachi, which designed the reactor, stress different causes. Canary Media reported that OPG said in late 2021 the reactor could be done as early as 2028.

OPG blames continuing engineering work by GE Vernova Hitachi on its first-of-a-kind reactor, which it says affects construction and the supply chain. In OPG’s account, that is how a first-of-a-kind design raises cost: engineering is still under way while the first unit is built. GE Vernova Hitachi spokesperson Jonathan Allen said engineering and design maturity are only part of the picture, citing interconnected factors including market conditions.

In April, the giant Basemat, the foundation of the reactor building, was set 35 metres below ground.

For comparison, the latest large US reactors, Vogtle units 3 and 4, took an extra seven years and $17 billion to finish. OPG expects to substantially complete its full cost and schedule assessment by mid-2027, so no new date or cost has been given.

Map: Clarington, Ontario. © OpenStreetMap contributors

Sources: World Nuclear News · Canary Media · Financial Accountability Office of Ontario · Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission · Major Projects Office, Government of Canada