Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station
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Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station | |
---|---|
Official name | Centrale nucléaire de Gentilly |
Country | Canada |
Location | Bécancour, Quebec |
Coordinates | 46°23′45″N 72°21′25″W / 46.39583°N 72.35694°W |
Status | safe storage (pools) pending dismantling |
Construction began | 1973 |
Commission date | October 1, 1983 |
Decommission date | December 28, 2012 |
Construction cost | CAD 1.3 billion |
Owner(s) | Hydro-Québec |
Operator(s) | Hydro-Québec |
Nuclear power station | |
Reactor type | CANDU-BWR CANDU PHWR |
Reactor supplier | Atomic Energy of Canada Limited |
Power generation | |
Units operational | None |
Units cancelled | 1 × 640 MW |
Units decommissioned | 1 × 250 MW 1 × 675 MW |
GW·h | |
External links | |
Website | Hydro-Québec: Gentilly-2 |
Commons | Related media on Commons |
] |
Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station (Centrale nucléaire de Gentilly in French) is a former
The Gentilly reactors were constructed in stages between 1966 and 1983 and were originally part of a plan for 30-35 nuclear reactors in Quebec.[1][2] A third reactor, Gentilly-3, was scheduled to be built on the same site but was cancelled because of a drop in demand growth in the late 1970s.[3]
In October 2012, it was decided for economic reasons not to proceed with the refurbishment of Gentilly-2, and to decommission the power plant instead. The process will take approximately 50 years to complete.[4] In December of that same year, the remaining reactor was shut down and the decommissioning process started.[5]
In August 2023, Hydro-Québec reported it was assessing the state of the plant to determine whether or not the Gentilly-2 CANDU reactor could be recommissioned. This came as the province of Quebec looked towards options to increase its production of clean electricity.[6] It was decided to not proceed with recommissioning Gentilly-2 due to social acceptability issues.[7]
Gentilly-1
Gentilly-1 was a prototype CANDU-
Gentilly-2
Gentilly-2 was a standard CANDU 6 reactor, similar to the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station. The plant had a net output of 675MW(e). Unlike the adjacent Gentilly-1 reactor, Gentilly-2 had a good service record since start-up in 1982, with a cumulative operating factor of 76.4%.[8]
In an August 19, 2008 announcement, Québec planned to spend $1.9B to overhaul Gentilly-2 in order to extend its lifespan to 2040.[9] Refurbishment of the reactor was eventually cancelled when on 3 October 2012, Hydro-Quebec's CEO, Thierry Vandal, announced the decommissioning of the Gentilly-2 generating station for economic reasons, scheduled to occur on 28 December 2012 at 10:30 p.m.[5][10] At that time, a decommissioning process will proceed over a period of 50 years and is expected to cost $1.8 billion.[11] The permanent shut down and decommissioning of the power plant followed an election pledge from Quebec premier Pauline Marois.[4]
The Gentilly site also houses a 411MW gas turbine generation plant. The Bécancour generating station was commissioned in 1992-1993.[12]
Gentilly-3
Gentilly-3 was a proposed nuclear reactor at the Gentilly site. It was cancelled by Quebec Premier René Lévesque.[13] A white book study published by the Parti Québécois (PQ) before ascending to power found that Gentilly-3 was not needed for Quebec's future energy needs and that it could be fulfilled with hydroelectricity.[14] After the election of the PQ government, a moratorium on construction of nuclear plants was put into place. The reactor had been scheduled to be completed before 1990, and was the last reactor firmly committed to by Hydro-Québec and the Province of Quebec, though Quebec had committed to buy enough heavy water for four Candu style reactors, processed by the La Prade heavy water plant (near Trois-Rivières), scheduled for 1982 opening.[15]
See also
- Economy of Quebec
- List of electrical generating stations in Quebec
- List of power stations in Canada
References
- Notes
- École Polytechnique.
- References
- ^ "Minister wants referendum on nuclear power plants". Calgary Herald. Canadian Press. 10 February 1977. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
- ^ Marie-Claude Fafard (15 September 2010). "Québec : le dangereux retour de l'énergie nucléaire ?". Afrique Expansion Magazine (in French). Archived from the original on 2014-10-30. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
- ^ Baril, Hélène (October 3, 2012). "Libéraux et péquistes, promoteurs du nucléaire au Québec". La Presse (in French). Montreal. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
- ^ a b Lapresse.ca. "Pauline Marois ferme Gentilly-2" (in French). Retrieved 2012-09-20.
- ^ a b Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (December 28, 2012). "Gentilly-2 nuclear plant shuts down after 29 years". CBC.ca. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
- ^ "Hydro-Québec mulls Gentilly 2 recommissioning : Corporate - World Nuclear News".
- ^ "Hydro-Québec to keep studying nuclear energy: CEO".
- ^ International Atomic Energy Agency (March 23, 2012). "Gentilly-2". Power Reactor Information System. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
- ^ "Quebec to spend $1.9B on lone nuclear power plant". CBC.ca. 2008-08-19. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
- ^ "Hydro-Québec confirms Gentilly-2 closure at the end of 2012" (Press release). Hydro-Québec. October 3, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
- ^ CBC News (3 October 2012). "Quebec nuclear reactor shutdown will cost $1.8 billion". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- ^ Hydro-Québec. "Thermal generating stations". Retrieved 2012-03-24.
- ^ Vincent Broussea-Pouliot (1 September 2012). "Les enjeux oubliés de la campagne". La Presse (in French). Montreal. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
- ^ François Cattapan (5 April 2011). "Partisanerie sur le dos de Gentilly" (in French). Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
- ^ Ian Anderson (8 December 1977). "Quebec Reprieves Heavy Water Plant". The Gazette. Montreal. Retrieved 2012-09-11.