Reactor delays shouldn't affect Lepreau 2 plans: expert

It's unlikely the delayed refurbishment of the Point Lepreau nuclear station will affect the proposal for a second reactor in southern New Brunswick, an energy industry spokesman says.

Tim Curry, president of the Atlantica Centre for Energy — an industry association promoting the sustainable growth of the region’s energy sector — said the two projects are distinct and he doesn't believe the admission that the $1.4-billion refurbishment is slipping behind schedule will dampen the enthusiasm for a second reactor.

"To the extent that it impacts on the reputation, the international reputation of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., clearly there's a link. But I don't think that it's a serious hit, certainly not at this stage, on any kind of discussion for the second reactor," Curry said.

He calls the delay a "glitch" and not a surprising one since it's the first time such a reactor has ever been refurbished.

NB Power confirmed this week that the refurbishment is three to four months behind schedule, and acknowledged the company could be on the hook for another $70 million to $90 million.

The project was supposed to wrap up on Sept. 30, 2009 but that date is now being pushed back until Christmas.

David Hay, the president and chief executive officer of NB Power, said the company is hoping to make up some of the lost time, and Sept. 30 is still the official target date for completing the project.

Consortium hopes to build new reactor

Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. is part of a consortium that is interested in building the world's first Advanced Candu Reactor-1000 next to the existing Point Lepreau station.

Team Candu New Brunswick would construct the 1,100-megawatt nuclear reactor and have it operated by NB Power. The private consortium would then have the opportunity to sell the reactor's power to the highest bidder, particularly in the energy hungry New England and New York markets.

So far the provincial government has not indicated what level of financial support it would commit to the project. The more money the government put into the project the more it would receive from the export profits.

The second reactor project, along with Irving Oil Ltd.'s second oil refinery project, are considered economic lynchpins for southern New Brunswick and future energy projects.

Curry doesn't think the delayed refurbishment will affect the development of an energy hub in the Saint John region either.