2. 2
Table of Contents
1.0 Executive Summary 3
2.0 Introduction 3
3.0 Operations Management 4
3.1 Operators 4
3.2 Maintenance 5
3.3 Engineering 5
3.4 Planning 5
3.5 Management 5
4.0 Bruce Power vs The Industry 5
5.0 Bruce Powers Top 3 Performance Objectives 6
5.1 Quality 6
5.2 Dependability 7
5.3 Flexibility 7
6.0 Processes 8
6.1 Customer Service Strategies 8
6.2 Scheduling Operations 9
6.3 Process Analysis & Improvement 10
6.4 Supply Chain Management 10
7.0 Lean Processes 12
8.0 Capacity Management 14
9.0 Conclusion & Recommendations 16
10.0 Bibliography 18
Figures
A Process Chart 8
B Bruce Powers’ Output vs. Ontario’s Coal Output 12
C Generator Output by Fuel Type 14
3. 3
1.0 Executive Summary
The purpose of this report was to examine the operations of the Bruce Power
nuclear operating facility. Bruce Power operates the largest privately owned
nuclear facility in the world with a generating capacity of 6,300MW. The company is
known as an industry leader in innovation and operations. The facility is
operational 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Quality, reliability and flexibility are
the core performance objectives of the company. Using these objectives has allowed
the company to bring safe, reliable energy to the residence of Ontario since 2001.
Bruce Power has proven to be an innovative force in the industry. For example, the
project of refurbishing the four Bruce A reactors starting in 2005 and bringing them
back onto the provincial grid in 2012. They will need to use the knowledge they
gained from their first experience in improving the processes during the impending
task of refurbishing the Bruce B reactors. Having this project run smoothly will help
ease the pressure on the provincial electricity grid. Bruce Power has shown they
can learn as they move forward, proven by the exponential improvement from
refurbishing the first reactor to the second. Successful supply chain management is
imperative to Bruce Power’s continuing operations due to the fact that there are a
limited number of possible suitors. The operational excellence of Bruce Power has
been proven by the consistency of production from their reactors. They hold a
record for operational continuous-run from units 5-8 and unit six was the top
operating reactor in the world for 2012. The company was also an integral part of
Ontario being the first jurisdiction in North America to successfully phase out coal-
plants. All facts and data in this report are from secondary research.
2.0 Introduction
Bruce Power is a nuclear generating facility privately owned between TransCanada
Corporation, Cameco Corporation, the Power Workers’ Union, The Society of Energy
Professionals and Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System [OMERS]
(Power, 2012). Bruce Power is capable of generating 6,300 mega watts or over 30%
of Ontario, Canada’s electricity and has a work force of 4,100 employees (Power,
2015). This makes Bruce Power the largest nuclear generating facility in the world.
The province of Ontario, its ratepayers, and Ontario’s Long Term Energy Plan
depend on Bruce Power for a reliable source of clean and affordable electricity now
and for decades to come (Power, 2012). The power plant is located on the shores of
Lake Huron, at Douglas Point approximately 3 hours east of Toronto, Canada.
Construction began in 1960 and the original reactor began producing energy in
1968 (Swords, n.d.). The Canadian government funded and ran the first reactor
until 2001, when Bruce Power took over as a privately owned company (Swords,
n.d.). Bruce Power now consists of Bruce A and B, which each operates four CANDU
heavy water pressurized nuclear reactors. The province of Ontario owns the land
where the nuclear facility is located and the assets on site. Bruce Power and the
4. 4
province have made a long-term agreement until 2040 that has the company pay
annual rent as well as all costs included in waste management (Power, 2012).
3.0 Operations Management
Nuclear power plants need employees working at all times of the day (Chen, 2004).
At a multi-reactor plant like Bruce Power, there is a shift manager that is
responsible for the site. Bruce Power being the largest nuclear facility in the world,
they have a shift manager at both Bruce A and Bruce B. While some nuclear
facilities that only have one reactor may not have a shift manager that is in charge of
the entire site (World Nuclear Association, 2015). Nuclear power plants have to
stop operating the reactors every one to two years for refueling outages. While the
reactors are off-line, the operators will manipulate the new fuel and transfer it into
the reactor while removing the existing fuel (Chen, 2004). The skills and knowledge
needed as a nuclear operator are frequently tested by having re-qualification
training (Chen, 2004). All operators need to be licensed by the Canadian Nuclear
Safety Commission (CNSC). The CNSC have staff members present at all nuclear
stations in Canada and have access to inspect and review all operations. The CNSC
Commission Tribunal is appointed individuals who provide oversight on all nuclear
activities in Canada and their approval of some activities is required before being
able to execute the given activity (Power, 2015).
There are many sectors of operations in a nuclear power plant and they all need to
be functioning successfully and up to the regulations of the CNSC (Power, 2015). To
ensure safe and reliable continued operations of a nuclear reactor a plant needs all
sectors communicating with one another (Chen, 2004). Operators, maintenance,
engineering, planning, management and human resource management sectors, all
need to be correlating on safety issues or projects that need to be undertaken to
keep the reactors operating (Power, 2004). For Bruce Power’s planned outages to
refuel reactors are organized with the provincial grid to ensure there will be enough
electricity being produced while the reactors are offline (Power, 2007). However, if
a reactor or reactors disconnect from the grid before scheduled maintenance, it puts
strain on the provincial grid. In some cases, there may not be enough electricity
being produced, which would cause blackouts (www.ieso.ca, 2015). Having all the
facets of operations working together is how Bruce Power received ‘Fully
Satisfactory’ on their annual report card from the CNSC, the highest mark given out
(Power, 2015)
Chen, (2004) explains activities by sector of operations in a nuclear energy
generating facility are:
3.1 Operators
Processing radioactive liquids and gases
5. 5
Testing emergency equipment
Supporting maintenance
Executing minor maintenance
3.2 Maintenance
Surveillance testing
Preventative maintenance
Planning and Scheduling
Repair Work Priority 1 (safety problems)
Repair Work Priority 2 (focus on keeping the plant operating)
Repair Work Priority 3 (corrective work orders)
“Fix it now” (simple maintenance work)
3.3 Engineering
Maintenance support
Plant modification
Licensing
3.4 Planning
Maintenance planning
Scheduling outages
Planning outage tasks
3.5 Management
Senior managers that have oversight over the plant tasks include; oversight of
operations and assigning resources to unexpected work and determining which
activity holds priority (Chen, 2004). The human resource management sector is
involved in determining which activities needs engineers, operators, carpenters or
other specialty employees to ensure the completion of the projects (Power, 2012).
4.0 Bruce Power vs. The Industry
Since nuclear reactors became operational around the world, many of them are
coming to the end of their lifecycle (Swords, n.d.). This puts companies and
governments in a difficult situation because building new ones can cost billions of
dollars. So projects are being undertaken to refurbish the existing reactors to
extend their operational life. When Bruce Power formed in 2001, reactors 1 and 2
of Bruce A had been shutdown since 1995 and 1998 respectively (Power, 2004).
Also, reactors’ 3 and 4 had more recently been taken offline. Ontario Hydro, who
owned and operated the plant in the 90’s, decided to focus resources on the
operational reactors of Bruce B (Power, 2012). Bruce Power was able to bring back
6. 6
units 3 and 4 by 2004 to operational status. In the nuclear industry, never before
had reactors that have been laying dormant for nearly two decades, been
refurbished and brought back in to service. Units 1 and 2 were brought back into
service in 2012 and were declared fit for service until 2043 after $7 billion had been
invested into site improvements. Having all eight reactors operational again has
made Bruce Power the largest nuclear generating facility in the world with the
ability to provide 6,300 megawatts of power (Power, 2012). With restoration of
Bruce A and the extra capacity of the company, Ontario has been able to shut down
coal plants and improve the health of Ontario residents. With all the funds and
resources Bruce Power has invested into the facility, here are some of the highlights
of their operational status:
Reactor 4 has been one of the most consistent reactors in the past 10 years
worldwide
Reactors at Bruce B (5-8) operated for 125 straight days during 2012-13,
which is a continuous-run record in the industry
Reactor 7 by itself set its own new standard being operational for 460
straight days
World Association of Nuclear Operators’ Nuclear Performance Index (NPI)
declared unit 6 the top operating reactor in the world for 2012 and broke the
continuous operational days record with 556
Units 5-8 ran at 95% capacity for 2012
These highlights show how well Bruce Power is operating in the nuclear industry
and that their operations are a model for other organisations in the industry to try
and reenact.
5.0 Bruce Powers Top 3 Performance Objectives
5.1 Quality
The nuclear industry as a whole and Bruce Power’s most important performance
objective is quality. Safety is by far and away the most critical part of operating a
nuclear facility (Power, 2012). In March 2011, when a tsunami hit Japan and
crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility, it reminded everyone involved in
the nuclear industry that safety and quality is paramount (Power, 2012). When a
reactor or other equipment fails, it can knock out a reactor from operational status
causing stress on other reactors to produce enough electricity to support the
provincial grid (Power, 2015). Since Bruce Power took over the power plant in
2001, an asset management program was created to have safe operations of the
reactors. This program has been key to enhance the operational performance and
add additional life to the units (Power, 2015). The reactors must have planned
outages coordinated with other energy suppliers as to not put stress on the
provincial grid; this is when the equipment maintenance is performed. Some of the
critical components where quality is a must are the steam generators, feeder pipes
7. 7
and fuel channels (Power, 2015). The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission [CNSC]
has officers on site at all times monitoring the quality and safety of Bruce Powers’
operations.
5.2 Dependability
The residents of Ontario depend on Bruce Power to deliver safe, reliable, and
affordable electricity for decades to come. It is imperative that the nuclear site
delivers the amount of electricity expected of them to the provincial grid. If Bruce
Power for some reason didn’t provide the energy expected, residents could be
without electricity at their homes or businesses. Bruce Power has the capability
when all eight reactors are operational, to produce 6,300 mega watts of electricity
(Power, 2015). Bruce Power takes reactors offline for planned outages to improve
the reliability of the units by executing inspections and maintenance of the
equipment. Ensuring all equipment involved in the reactor is reliable until the next
planned outage is critically important to Ontario’s energy plan (Swords, n.d.).
Shutting down a reactor before the scheduled outages puts strain on the entire
energy industry, which is why the reliability of the equipment is so important.
Bruce Power uses a monitoring technique to provide early detection of any process
or equipment issues (Power, 2015). This online software has yielded benefits to the
safety and reliability of the equipment by detecting deficiencies early and is
considered industry leading technology (Power, 2015).
5.3 Flexibility
Bruce Powers operations have to be extremely flexible during a project like
refurbishing the Bruce B reactors. Millions of dollars will be spent ensuring the
quality and reliability of the project. However, to complete the task, Bruce Power
will have to rely heavily on procurement. Depending on which activity is being
worked on, the amount of workers and their specialties will have to adjust
accordingly. The process of refurbishing the reactors in Bruce A had many different
innovative projects in the construction industry as well as the nuclear industry
(Power, 2012). To deliver safe and reliable electricity, Bruce Power needs to stay
flexible so they are able to handle any type of project that becomes necessary.
8. 8
6.0 Processes
Figure A
6.1 Customer Service Strategies
Health and safety is by far and away the most important aspect of running a nuclear
facility such as the Bruce power plant (Power, 2012). The company prides itself on their
safety and also producing electricity in a way that benefits the people of Ontario. On
April 15, 2014 Ontario officially shut down their final coal-generating plant becoming
the first jurisdiction in North America to accomplish this feat (Power, 2014). Phasing out
coal power plants in Ontario reduces smog and air pollution in Ontario helping the
Lake
Water
Heating Fuel
Water Boils
Turbine
Spins
Turbine
Drives
Generator
Electricity
to Homes
and
Businesses
Mechanical
Energy to
Electricity
Electricity to
transformer
Transformer
produces
correct
voltage
Operation /
Value Adding
Transport Direction of
Flow
ActivityInput / Output
9. 9
residents lead a healthier life (Marshall, 2013). Bruce Power was an integral part of
Ontario being able to create enough energy without the coal plants. The initiative was
started in 2003, which was also the time the four reactors in Bruce A were still dormant.
Bruce Power invested 7 billion in the complete refurbishment of the reactors. When the
final reactor came back online at Bruce Power, Ontario had over 3000 MW of clean,
reliable energy they had not had since the 90’s (Power, 2013). This made Bruce Power
an integral part of providing cleaner air and a healthier future to their customers, the
residence of Ontario (Power, 2014). By the time the last coal facility was shut down and
converted to biomass, Bruce Power was producing 70% of carbon-free electricity that the
province needed to complete the overhaul (Power, 2014).
Since the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear facility in Japan in 2011, Bruce Power has
made a conscience decision to keep the community and province more informed of the
safety measures being taken (Power, 2011). After the tsunami, the nuclear industry took
heavy criticism about the safety of the industry. Part of this backlash from the public was
due to lack of knowledge about the industry (Power, 2011). Since then, Bruce Power has
taken steps to improve their proactive and regulatory response, as well as their off-site
capability and emergency preparedness. The company took their safety precautions to
the next level in 2012 by having the Huron Challenge, a four-day full-scale emergency
simulation. Bruce Power passed the exercise that was organized by Emergency
Management Ontario with flying colors (Power, 2012). Communicating with the public
via public hearings, visitors center and their website, Bruce Power is committed to
delivering safe energy and informing the public how they will achieve it (Power, 2012).
Due to Bruce Powers’ outreach efforts to make the public more knowledgeable about the
industry and their concerns; they have received a positive response in a province wide
poll. Bruce Power completed a poll across the province to find out if the public was in
support of refurbishing the reactors to make nuclear energy the majority long-term
provider for Ontario. Support for the project came back at 74% up 10% since 2012
(Power, 2013).
6.2 Scheduling Operations
When Bruce Powers’ reactors are online, they operate around the clock. 365 days a year
Bruce Power has employees, operators and shift managers producing electricity (Power,
2015). The scheduling of maintenance and refurbishments of the reactors is coordinated
with the IESO [Independent Electricity Supply Operator]. When unforeseen projects or
maintenance issues arise, Bruce Power reacts immediately and the IESO must manage
the provincial grid accordingly. This will be covered more in depth within capacity
management.
10. 10
6.3 Process Analysis and Improvement
Since Bruce Power began revitalizing the site in 2001, starting with successfully
reactivating reactors 3 and 4 in Bruce A to operational status in 2003, they had invested 7
billion by 2013 (Power, 2013). This is part of their long-term vision of producing safe
and reliable energy until 2040. To continue improvements in operations and processes,
they have stated they will continue to invest $1 billion a year over the next 15 years
(Power, 2013). The operational status has continued to improve with the modernization
of Bruce B and the complete refurbishment of units 1 and 2 in Bruce A. Bruce Power
also realizes in the future there is room for improvement in predictability of future
projects. The mega-project of refurbishing Bruce A was to be completed by 2010 but it
experienced unforeseen delays and was not finished until 2012 (Langlois and Agency,
2012) The project was also budgeted for $2.75 billion and ended up costing $4.8 billion.
The project however is not considered a failure. It was the first time in history that
reactors had come back to operational status after lying dormant for nearly two decades
(Power, 2012). The engineering, construction and nuclear activities that were completed
innovated the way the industry approached refurbishing reactors. Many of the activities
that were completed were thought to not be possible. For example, the roof was
meticulously pulled back on Bruce A and for the first time using one of the largest cranes
in the world; eight steam generators were replaced (Power, 2012). During the
refurbishment project, Bruce Power demonstrated their prowess for improving as they
moved forward. Unit 2 was replaced before unit 1 and there was remarkable signs of
improvement. The second time through they were faster by:
57% Replacing steam generator
8% Removing pressure tubes
53% Preparing and cleaning the reactor
42% Installing pressure tubes
77% Removing calandria tubes
50% Refurbishing electrical system
(Power, 2012)
When the Bruce B units need to be refurbished, Bruce Power will have to learn from their
previous experiences to ensure the project remains on time and within budget. Learning
from their mistakes in the process of the project will help to create stable energy output to
the grid and have the reactors in operational status on schedule next time around. Bruce
Power is always trying to be an industry leader by setting the bar in the industry with new
creative ways to improve operations (Power, 2013).
6.4 Supply Chain Management
Analyzing the supply chain for Bruce Power this report will focus on the supply
chain needed in refurbishing the four reactors in Bruce B. The company Atomic
Energy of Canada (AECL) is the most important first tier supplier of Bruce Power
11. 11
(Hylko, 2013). The AECL is a Canadian company that produces CANDU reactors,
which stands for CANada Deuterium Uranium (Power, 2012). The eight reactors at
Bruce Power are CANDU’s, which act as the moderator in the fission process while
uranium makes the fuel. When the reactors at Bruce B are taken out of service for
refurbishment in the next couple years the AECL will play an instrumental role such
as when the reactors in Bruce A were refurbished. During the previous
refurbishment, the AECL was tasked with supplying the fuel channel and calandria
tube replacement (Hylko, 2013). This is an essential part of repairing the reactors
and a good relationship with the AECL is imperative to the operations of Bruce
Power. Assuming Bruce Power will continue the supply chain from the previous
refurbishment, Babcock & Wilcox Canada will be the manufacturer of new steam
generator vessels. Comstock Canada will supply the steam generator and valves.
Once the steam generator is refurbished Siemens Canada will supply the turbine
generator. But, before any of these projects are started RCM-Fox will have to supply
the safe shutdown components for taking the reactors off-line (Hylko, 2013).
The previously mentioned first-tier suppliers help to sustain Bruce Powers’
business and get the product to the customers. The first tier customer of Bruce
Power is the Ontario Power Authority (OPA). The OPA controls the price per output
of Bruce Powers’ energy, which in 2013 on average was 6.2 cents per kilowatt an
hour (IESO, 2013). From all sources of energy with the OPA, this is among the
lowest current cost generation in the province. The OPA and Bruce Power agreed
upon a new contract in 2013 for refurbishment of Bruce B to ensure the reactors are
fit for operations until the end of the decade. The new contract will pay Bruce
Power the lowest amount for energy generation in the province at 5.2 cents a
kilowatt an hour. This agreement helps to ensure safe, reliable and affordable
electricity to the residents of Ontario (IESO, 2013). Currently the 4 reactors’
operational lives end date would be between 2016 and 2019. After the
refurbishments, all Bruce B reactors will be fit for service until 2020 (IESO, 2013).
The final customers [second tier customer] of Bruce Powers’ energy are the
residents of Ontario, who receive electricity into their homes, schools and
businesses. With the 2013 contract finalized, it ensures affordable electricity due to
Bruce Power being able to operate at full capacity or 6,300 MW until 2020 (IESO,
2013).
12. 12
Figure B
(TalkNuclear, 2015)
7.0 Lean Processes
Bruce Power is operating using lean processes where they can. The company is the
lowest-cost energy generating facility in the province of Ontario (IESO, 2013). Also,
they are the largest nuclear facility of its kind in the world, with eight operating
CANDU reactors (Power, 2012). The capacity to produce 6,300 MW of electricity to
the residence of Ontario makes up over 30% of consumption in the province.
However, producing nuclear energy produces waste. The waste that is made at a
nuclear facility is broken down into four categories: hazardous, conventional,
recyclables and radioactive (Power, 2012). Bruce Power has waste minimization
and waste management programs but all of these practices need to meet regulatory
requirements and environmental policies. In the operations of a nuclear plant,
waste is inevitable but Bruce Power is trying to minimize the amount of waste,
especially the kind that falls into the hazardous category. When it is deemed
13. 13
hazardous, Bruce Power will sample and analyze it on site and when it has
radiological characteristics it will be sent to an external laboratory for further
analysis (Power, 2012). Bruce Power is in a long-term agreement to rent the land
the site it’s located on. Part of the agreement is that Bruce Power is financially
responsible for waste management issues. They are trying to implement lean
processes in reducing waste and also the transportation of waste. By minimizing
waste, they in-turn reduce the cost of transportation to the various waste
management facilities. The processes that produce waste and the amount of waste
being produced is monitored all the time internally and externally by CNSC (Power,
2012). By reducing the amount of waste, aids in Bruce Power being able to comply
with the strict regulations set in “waste management”. This also conserves space at
the facilities that store the different kinds of waste. For example:
Landfills
Hazardous waste management facilities
Radioactive waste management facilities
(Power, 2012)
Other reasons why Bruce Power is trying to use lean operations in the production of
waste other than transportation and processing waste are:
Reduce staff exposure
Reduce contractors exposure
Limit potential zones on site that radiological waste must cross over
Ensure safety of the public
(Power, 2012)
For the future to ensure the reduction and management of waste, Bruce Power has
declared they are developing a more proactive system to see waste steams [where
in the process they are developed] especially hazardous or radioactive waste
(Power, 2012). They have also stated that more focus on gathering information in
terms of volume, weight and number of waste packages that are in need of transport
will be beneficial in creating a more lean process. Bruce Power is trying to create a
leaner process while meeting all regulatory mandates. Other ways for the company
to create this process is by researching and beneficial waste diversion alternatives.
Ontario Power Generation [OPG] has made a proposal that would make it possible
for Bruce Power to store waste on site. This would save time and money on
transportation to waste management facilities. The proposal is that the waste
would be buried deep underground. However, it would not be all the waste
produced, only the low and intermediate-levels. The CNSC would need to approve
the plan and it would have to meet all regulatory requirements (Solid Waste &
Recycling, 2014). Bruce Power is trying to implement lean processes when and
wherever they can. Conversely, due to safety issues and regulatory systems in place
in the industry, improvement means a lot of hurdles to overcome.
14. 14
8.0 Capacity Management
Figure C
(www.ieso.ca, 2015)
As per the above chart, nuclear power supplies over 50% of the electricity within
Ontario. When Bruce Power has all eight reactors operating to full capacity, they are
able to produce 6,300 mw or 30% of Ontario’s power (Power, 2012). The
companies’ current contract pays 5.2 cents per kilowatt-hour (IESO, 2013).
However, with refueling the reactors and the impending refurbishing of all four
reactors in Bruce B, having all eight reactors operating is an ideal circumstance.
Spears, (2013) explained that Ontario power has a lot more stability when Bruce
Power is operating at full capacity. In 2006, Ontario reached an all time high of
27,000 MW during a heat wave in the summer and blackouts ensued because it was
during the refurbishment of Bruce A reactors 1 and 2. Since the Bruce got units 1
15. 15
and 2 back online in 2012, Ontario’s demand has not exceeded supply and has
handled heat waves with ease (Spears, 2013). Bruce Power correlates with the IESO
(Independent Electricity System Operator) on how much electricity they will be able
to provide throughout the year. The power plant supplies as much electricity as
they can barring outages or other maintenance activities which are all planned with
the IESO (IESO, 2015). Maintenance and servicing the equipment is imperative in
keeping the safety and reliability standards of Bruce Power so the actual capacity
management is done by the IESO to ensure the electricity needs of Ontario is met
(Power, 2012).
IESO (2015) states they work with all energy providers in Ontario and continuously
monitor Ontario’s power system. They balance the demand with the supply of
energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. They maintain
reliability in real-time but are also in charge of maintaining reliability to the
province’s power system (IESO, 2015). Within Ontario, there is a growing number
of reactors and other forms of generating power that are in need of projects due to
their age or other circumstances. The IESO is responsible for forecasting the supply
and demand, as well as reporting on the progress of the projects that will impact the
provincial power grid (IESO, 2015). IESO forecasts 18 months in advance to assess
the supply and transmission needed to provide the province with their electricity
needs. The forecasts that the company takes into account include the day of the
week, weather forecasts, holidays and other factors (IESO, 2015). These forecasts
help Bruce Power and other energy suppliers plan their maintenance and other
operations to ensure enough electricity is supplied. These forecasts are extremely
accurate. Nevertheless, the operators of IESO’s control room need to be able to
adjust supply on a five-minute basis (IESO, 2015). The IESO prepares an 18-month
forecast that informs energy producers on the demand that will be needed so they
can plan their equipment outages accordingly. The forecast is prepared using
normal weather conditions and extreme. The forecasts also take into account
historical demand and economic projections (IESO, 2015). To make these forecasts,
the IESO collects information from all energy suppliers and their output capabilities,
as well as their future output capabilities during the 18-month period. Also, making
forecasts is based on services that are planned on going on an outage or coming
back into generation as well as long-term projects status (IESO, 2015). These
forecasts and information acquired by the IESO is to ensure the reliability and
coordination of the projects and maintenance needed to supply the Ontario
electricity system.
Forecasting by the IESO is imperative and lies at the core of the reliability standards
set out by the North American Reliability Corporation (NERC). The NERC is in
charge of operating and planning the bulk power system across North America. The
IESO and other electricity systems throughout North America are all interconnected
so if one grid is unstable or not producing enough power, other grids will be affected
as well (IESO, 2015). Having a set standard for reliability of operations and
equipment across North America helps forecasting the supply and demand for the
grid. The IESO maintains agreements with their neighboring power suppliers to
16. 16
ensure the stable and reliable supply of energy. This helps when the forecasting is
off due to any major surges or declines in demand. When Ontario is not producing
enough power, they can import from their partners as well as when there is a
surplus they can export. Ontario has an agreement with Quebec, Manitoba,
Michigan, New York and Minnesota (IESO, 2013). This helps Bruce Power when
they have to take reactors offline such as refueling reactors or major projects such
as refurbishing their reactors. Bruce Power has to undertake a massive project by
refurbishing the 4 reactors in Bruce B in the next 1 to 2 years. This means the IESO
will have to rely on others for supply because it will be approximately 5 years until
they will be reconnected to the grid. When Bruce Power refurbished the reactors in
Bruce A, the project took from 2005 until 2012 (Power, 2013).
On April 15, 2015, Bruce Powers’ four reactors from the Bruce B site were taken
offline for a vacuum building outage (Polka, 2015). This is an essential maintenance
stoppage that in general, will keep the reactors down for a month. Polka, (2015)
poses the question, when Bruce Power has four reactors taken off the grid, where
should the IESO and Ontario generate the missing 3,268 MW. This is the challenge
of capacity management in the energy industry. Can hydro, wind or gas or a
combination of all three make up the difference? Capacity management in energy
supply is a very tricky proposition, but the IESO takes into consideration everything
they have learned in the past. For instance, this recent outage at Bruce B was
strategically planned for the spring because hydro capacity is highest at this time of
year. When winter snow melts and water levels are higher, hydro’s capacity
increases. This will help to make up the difference in supply while the reactors are
down. Nuclear power is the workhorse for providing energy in Ontario but
maintenance and other projects are essential to the operations and safety of the
reactors. So when Bruce Power can not supply their maximum output, capacity
management becomes an industry wide situation (Polka, 2015)
9.0 Conclusion & Recommendations
Bruce Power is an industry leader in innovation and operations. They are the only
privately owned nuclear generating facility in Ontario. This allows them to invest
without the approval of the government and improve operations where they see fit
(Power, 2015). The company has also set the standard by refurbishing the four
reactors in Bruce A, that was a project thought previously to be impossible in the
industry (Power, 2012). Bruce Power continues to learn from their past
experiences and improve their operations. The four reactors at the Bruce B site
have an impending refurbishment project and the issues that arose during the
refurbishment at Bruce A should aid in the speed and quality of the work this time
around. The company plans on injecting $1 billion dollars a year over the next 15
years to ensure they remain an industry leader and at the forefront of innovative
ideas in the nuclear sector. Bruce Power’s operations will have to continue to reach
the regulatory mandate set out by the CNSC. This is the main priority of any nuclear
facility due to the fact that the CNSC has the authority to shut down production at
any time when operations, safety or waste management fail to meet their
17. 17
requirements. Included in meeting the CNSC criteria’s that all employees remain
qualified and re-qualified to ensure they can remain on the job and keep operations
ongoing. The three most important performance objectives should remain the
same. Stressing the importance of quality/safety and reliability will keep electricity
coming to the people of Ontario. The safety of the community/employees and the
reliance of affordable electricity to heat homes, schools and businesses are of the
utmost importance in sustaining operational control of the power plant. Flexibility
is the third most imperative performance objective due to the IESO and controlling
outages and maintenance around them. Also, during projects such as refurbishing
the Bruce B reactors’ flexibility of man power and contractors will help to complete
the project on time and get the reactors back on the grid in a timely fashion.
Continuing to keep the public informed on safety precautions that are being taken
and informing them about the nuclear industry, is imperative on keeping their
support. Bruce Power needs to have continued excellence in supplier relationships.
For example, the AECL is the only company that produces CANDU reactors. Being
able to refurbish and maintain their eight reactors, Bruce Power needs the support
and contract work availability of the AECL. Of the activities included in producing
and maintaining operations in nuclear power, there is a limited number of possible
suppliers, so healthy relationships with their suppliers is a must. The main
responsibility of Bruce Power is to produce enough electricity to the end customer,
which are the people who reside in Ontario and meet their demand. This is aided by
the IESO, the Darlington/Pickering nuclear power plants and other forms of energy
generation (Spears, 2013). Continuing to innovate and improve their lean processes
adhering to the regulatory confinements of the industry will help to reduce waste
and keep Bruce Power at the high-end of the nuclear industry. Minimizing the
waste created at the power plant continues to be an issue that Bruce Power should
try and improve. The proposal to store waste on site would reduce transportation
costs and the company should do everything in its power to aid in the process of
having it approved. The amount of waste produced at a nuclear site is an ongoing
issue in the industry and Bruce Power needs to continue to find ways to minimize
the volume, especially the hazardous or radioactive kinds. Continuing to try to
implement lean processes can be an asset in the future, as long as the company
continues to reach compliance with the CNSC. Reducing the amount of times the
reactors need to go offline for maintenance and refueling will aid in producing
maximum capacity more often. Learning from the companies past experiences,
good or bad, will help operations run more effectively and efficiently. During the
upcoming task of refurbishing the Bruce B reactors, Bruce Power needs to improve
the speed and cost control of the activities experienced during the first project of
refurbishing Bruce A. This will help the company to operate at maximum capacity
for decades to come and keep them as one of the industry leaders.
18. 18
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