On February 2, Society President Rebecca Caron was present for the Ontario government’s announcement of the successful completion of the refurbishment of the Darlington Unit 4 nuclear reactor which will be returning to service four months ahead of schedule and $150 million under budget.
"The Society of United Professionals is extremely proud to see another successful nuclear refurbishment delivered on time and under budget.
The success of these enormous projects is possible because of the tireless efforts of the engineers, analysts, physicists, front-line managers, coordinators, program leads, and other professionals who work at Ontario’s nuclear facilities. It is thanks to these unionized workers that Ontario continues to be a world leader in nuclear energy," said President Caron.
Originally expected to return to power in August 2026, the unit has received approval from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to enter the initial power testing, which is expected to begin on February 12, and will be at full power shortly after. Refurbishment and continued operations over the next 30 years at Darlington is expected to generate up to $90 billion in economic benefits for Ontario, support approximately 14,200 jobs and produce enough clean electricity to power 3.5 million homes.
The Darlington refurbishment project involved the complete overhaul of all four nuclear reactor units, extending the station’s operating life to at least 2055. With all four units refurbished and ready to be brought back online, this marks the completion of the world’s largest refurbishment project to date.
The Society is incredibly proud of all of the members who worked on this project and who continue to make Ontario’s nuclear industry a success and a world leader.
