Port Hope’s Leap Forward: New Nuclear Power Plant Could be World’s Largest
On January 15, the Ontario government, along with Ontario Power Generation, announced plans to build a new nuclear generating station in Wesleyville, just west of Port Hope, in Northumberland County.
This article will explain the Wesleyville site's background, the project's scope, implications for the local economy, and timelines.
Background of Wesleyville OPG Site
In the 1960s and 1970s, Ontario Hydro (the predecessor of Ontario Power Generation, OPG) conducted extensive surveys across Ontario to identify potential sites for new power plants. Wesleyville was a selected location due to its strategic advantages, including proximity to transmission lines and relatively low population density.
Initially, Wesleyville was slated to host an oil-fired generating station. Construction began in the 1970s, but the project was abandoned before completion due to the OPEC oil embargo and subsequent oil crisis, which made oil a less viable fuel due to its high and unstable prices. The partially built facility, including a prominent chimney, is a testament to this era but was never operational for electricity generation.
Project Details
The site is close to 1,300 acres and is owned by Ontario Power Generation.
The power capacity of the plant was announced to be up to 10,000 Megawatts. The world’s largest current nuclear plant is the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant in Japan, with a capacity of 7,965 megawatts. The Darlington Nuclear Generating Station in Clarington has four CANDU reactors with a capacity of 3,512 Megawatts, supplying about 20% of the province’s electric power and is the second-largest nuclear facility in Canada.
The town of Port Hope will get $1 million to begin planning and up to $30 million in funding to support infrastructure upgrades to support the project.
The project's initial planning and assessment phases could take up to five years, and construction could take another 15 years.
Economic Impact for Port Hope and Northumberland
The project is expected to create 1,700 high-paying, full-time local jobs, and up to 10,500 jobs across the province.
Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and the Province of Ontario anticipate the project could contribute up to $235 billion toward the province’s GDP over the project’s lifespan and Provincial Energy and Electrification Minister Stephen Lecce announced the project on January 15 alongside Port Hope Mayor Olena Hanivsky and MPP for Northumberland-Peterborough South David Piccini.
The Darlington facility in Clarington is a good example of how a project of this kind benefits the local economy. It provided about 14,000 jobs during construction and about 3,000 ongoing jobs.
A project of this magnitude will have spinoff benefits to the community. The construction and operational employees will need housing and supporting businesses nearby.
The employment gains for this project will have a substantial impact on the demand for housing within commuting distance of the site, especially as construction work gets underway. Given the limitations on housing stock in the immediate area, expect property values to appreciate.
Could a project of this magnitude make a case for the expansion of GO train service beyond the currently planned end-point at Bowmanville to Port Hope or beyond? It would seem to make a lot of sense, given the project’s massive scale. What do you think? Leave a comment below!
Conclusion
While there is much work ahead, it is exciting to see a major infrastructure project being built in Northumberland. This project will bring thousands of high-paying jobs to the community and help considerably with Ontario's growing power needs.
Ontario press release - Ontario Exploring Nuclear Energy Generation in Port Hope
About the Author
John Owen, Broker, RE/MAX Impact
John is an award-winning broker with RE/MAX Impact Realty and is a member of the RE/MAX Hall of Fame.
Direct - 905-434-0067
Email - johnowen@remax.net
Member, Canadian Real Estate Association, Ontario Real Estate Association, Toronto Regional Real Estate Board.
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