CALGARY, Alberta, March 19 (UPI) -- Canadian energy company TransCanada announced it was closer to bringing an idled part of a nuclear power plant in Ontario back online.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission gave approval for TransCanada to restart Unit 2 at the Bruce Power nuclear reactor in Ontario.
"This positive development represents the final major step necessary toward bringing the reactor into service," Russ Girling, TransCanada's president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
Bruce Power consists of eight nuclear reactors in two generating stations. Six reactors are functioning and producing more than 4,700 megawatts of power for Ontario consumers.
Two units at the Bruce Power reactor were shut down in the 1990s and TransCanada said it aims to spend about $2.4 billion on refurbishment.
"Once the work is complete, Bruce Power will be the world's largest nuclear facility, generating more than 6,200 MW or about 25 percent of Ontario's power," the company said in a statement.
Unit 1, one of the four reactors in section A of the power plant, is expected to start operations at the end of the year, the company added.
