Transport engineering and heavy lift specialist Mammoet is supporting Canada’s Bruce Power with its major component replacement (MCR) projects.
Commencing in January 2020, the MCR projects have involved replacing major components within six reactor units (units 3-8) across two stations, Bruce A and B. During standard operation these stations power over 30 percent of Ontario province and produce medical isotopes.
These restoration projects are part of a larger life-extension programme that started in 2016 to prolong the plant’s life to 2064. The life-extension programme is Ontario’s largest private sector clean-energy initiative, said Mammoet.
Mammoet, working alongside Aecon, United Engineers & Constructors and Framatome, is supporting with the removal and installation of 90-tonne steam generators. It is having to lift and temporarily store 300-tonne steam drums in order to access and replace 16 of Bruce A’s steam generators. Mammoet’s PTC35 ring crane is onsite to carry out this work.
“We are delighted to be contributing to this important refurbishment project for Bruce Power, and to build on a relationship stretching back to the early nineties,” said Kyle Hannah, account manager at Mammoet. “With its huge outreach, the PTC35 is the ideal tool to reach deep into existing facilities such as this, allowing all installations to take place without relocating lifting equipment and affecting the project schedule.”
Other Mammoet equipment will be used for onsite movements and replacement of heat exchangers, electrical equipment, and transformers. Once the first MCR project of unit 6 in Bruce B was completed, work began on unit 3 at Bruce A. The unit 4 refurbishment at Bruce A will start in February 2025, with the final three units to follow.
“We have worked with Mammoet for many years. They have a great understanding of the way we work, our facility and the high levels of safety and execution needed for the maintenance of nuclear power plants,” said Rob Hoare, vice president, MCR execution, Bruce Power.
Earlier this month, HLPFI reported that Mammoet has signed a contract with Buss Ports to marshal wind turbine foundations for two of Europe’s biggest offshore wind farm projects: RWE’s Nordseecluster A (Germany) and Thor (Denmark).
