Bruce Power, AREVA sign five-year, $55-million contract

Bruce Power and AREVA NP have signed a five-year contract, worth up to $55-million, for a high-voltage maintenance program at the Bruce Nuclear site.

The agreement was announced Tuesday afternoon, at the AREVA warehouse on Highway 21, just north of the Kincardine Airport. Under the agreement, AREVA will provide services for transformers and other high-voltage components to support Bruce Power in delivering dependable electricity to Ontario homes and businesses.

Bill Cooper, president and chief operating officer of AREVA NP Canada, welcomed everyone, and noted that AREVA has established a local centre and workforce, as well as local suppliers.

"Ninety per cent of our staff comes from the surrounding, tri-county area (Bruce, Grey and Huron counties)," he said.

He then introduced Nicolas Maes of Paris, France, vice-president of AREVA NP's installed base business unit.

"This is a global company, but we operate locally and support our employees and our customers and their communities," said Maes. "I would like to thank Bruce Power for its support for the next five years, and the recognition of the quality work we do."



He said the long-term contract provides stability for Kincardine's AREVA office and the 60 employees who work there, and their families. Meanwhile, the maintenance program developed for Bruce Power incorporates operating experience and operational excellence, he said.

Mike Rencheck, president and chief executive officer of Bruce Power, thanked AREVA for its hard work, and for its focus on safety first, the same as Bruce Power.



"This is another in a series of strategic partnerships with companies in the nuclear industry that will provide significant economic spin-off for communities across the province, and in this case, right here in our backyard," he said.

"The new equipment that AREVA has purchased, the transformer change unit, shows the company's commitment to do the work efficiently and effectively. This is a long-term commitment over five years. AREVA plays an important role in keeping Bruce Power reliable, on-time and on-budget. Thank you for being a close neighbour and good neighbour.

"The nuclear plant supports the community, and the community supports the plant. And AREVA is part of that community for the long-term, as we keep Bruce Power operating through to 2064."

Kincardine deputy mayor Jacqueline Faubert, congratulated both companies, on behalf of the Municipality of Kincardine, the mayor, council and the community.

"Both AREVA and Bruce Power are valued community members and excellent corporate citizens," she said. "Congratulations on the synergy created here between these two companies."

Following the announcement, people were encouraged to check out the new portable oil-processing unit, used by AREVA in its high-voltage maintenance program. The equipment processes mineral oil in the transformers. The mobile unit is used to change out the oil in large transformers at the nuclear site.

A second portable unit is set to be purchased, with this state-of-the-art equipment dedicated to the Bruce site. The cost of the two new units is approaching $1-million, said Tom Uzzell, conventional service and product line manager with AREVA.

In a press release, AREVA states that the agreement is the culmination of several years of collaboration and planning to design a high-voltage maintenance program to meet nuclear industry standards.

"Bruce Power's life-extension program will mean the Bruce site will continue to power the province until 2064 and this is good news for our area and for families and businesses across Ontario," said Kincardine mayor Anne Eadie, in the press release.

"Bruce Power and the electricity it provides Ontario families and businesses, are part of the solution over the short- and long-term, to provide a source of low-cost stable electricity."