It sits right on the edge of the Bay of Fundy. You've probably seen the steam rising from those massive concrete structures if you’ve ever driven down the coast toward Saint John. That's Point Lepreau. For some, it’s just a massive power plant. For others, it’s the backbone of the entire provincial economy. But honestly, Point Lepreau Generating Station is a bit of a local enigma. It is the only nuclear power plant in Atlantic Canada, and it carries the heavy burden of providing about one-third of New Brunswick's total electricity. That's a lot of pressure for a single site.
Most people don't think about where their lights come from until the bill goes up.
The Reality of Nuclear Power in New Brunswick
Point Lepreau isn't just "a" power plant. It’s a CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) reactor. If you aren't a nuclear physicist, that basically means it uses heavy water as a moderator and natural uranium as fuel. This is a Canadian-designed technology that allows the reactor to be refueled while it's still running. No need to shut the whole thing down just to swap out fuel bundles.
It’s efficient. Mostly.
Since it started commercial operations back in 1983, it has been the "baseload" king. When the wind isn't blowing for the turbines or the dams are low on water, Lepreau is supposed to be the steady hand. It’s a 660-megawatt powerhouse. When it’s running at full tilt, it’s a marvel of engineering. But here is the thing: it hasn't always been smooth sailing.
Why the Refurbishment Still Matters
You can't talk about Point Lepreau without mentioning the "refurbishment" era. It’s a sore spot for many taxpayers. Between 2008 and 2012, the station underwent a massive overhaul. It was supposed to take 18 months. It took four years. It went over budget by hundreds of millions of dollars.
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That delay forced NB Power to buy expensive electricity from neighbors like Quebec and New England. That debt didn't just vanish. It’s baked into the rates people pay today. Honestly, the ghost of that refurbishment still haunts the halls of the New Brunswick Legislature every time energy policy comes up.
But, to be fair, the work done back then gave the plant a new lease on life. It replaced all 380 fuel channels and calandria tubes. It was a "re-coring" that essentially reset the clock on the reactor’s lifespan. Without that painful process, the plant would have been decommissioned years ago, leaving a massive hole in the grid that likely would have been filled by burning more coal at Belledune or oil at Coleson Cove.
The Zero-Emission Argument
Climate change is the big elephant in the room. New Brunswick has some pretty strict targets for hitting net-zero. If you suddenly took Point Lepreau Generating Station off the grid, the province’s carbon footprint would skyrocket instantly.
- Nuclear power produces zero greenhouse gas emissions during operation.
- It provides a steady 660 MW that renewables like solar and wind currently can't match in terms of "always-on" reliability.
- The plant prevents millions of tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere every single year compared to fossil fuel alternatives.
There are legitimate concerns about spent fuel—the waste. Currently, that waste is stored on-site in specialized dry storage containers. It’s a long-term challenge that Canada is trying to solve through the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) and deep geological repositories. It's a "solve it later" problem that some people find deeply unsettling, while others see it as a manageable trade-off for clean air today.
Maintenance and the Modern Grid
Lately, Lepreau has been in the news for "unplanned outages." These are the bane of NB Power’s existence. When a pump fails or a sensor goes haywire and the plant trips, it costs the utility—and by extension, you—upwards of a million dollars a day in lost revenue and replacement power costs.
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Operating a 40-year-old nuclear plant is a bit like maintaining a vintage car that you have to drive 100 miles an hour, 24 hours a day. You can't just skip an oil change. In 2024 and 2025, we’ve seen increased scrutiny on the reliability of the station. Maintenance shutdowns are planned years in advance, but the "unplanned" ones are what keep the engineers up at night.
SMRs: The Next Frontier at Lepreau
The site isn't just about the old CANDU reactor anymore. It’s becoming a hub for SMRs—Small Modular Reactors. This is where the technology gets really interesting.
The provincial government and NB Power have partnered with companies like ARC Clean Technology and Moltex Energy. The idea is to build smaller, simpler reactors on the same land. These would theoretically be cheaper to build and could even use recycled nuclear waste as fuel.
It’s a bit of a gamble. Some critics argue we should be pouring that money into battery storage and wind. Others say SMRs are the only way to power heavy industry without killing the planet. Regardless of where you stand, Point Lepreau is the designated laboratory for this next generation of Canadian energy.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often hear "nuclear" and think of Chernobyl or Fukushima. But the CANDU design at Point Lepreau is fundamentally different. It uses a "fail-safe" cooling system that relies on natural physics—convection—to cool the core if power is lost. It’s incredibly stable. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) keeps a leash on this place that is incredibly short. They have inspectors on-site constantly.
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Another misconception? That the plant is "too old." While the building is decades old, the internal "guts" of the reactor were largely replaced during the refurbishment. It is, in many ways, a middle-aged plant with a brand-new heart.
Actionable Insights for the Future
Understanding the role of Point Lepreau Generating Station helps make sense of the broader energy landscape in the Maritimes. If you are looking to understand how this impacts your life or your business, consider these points:
Monitor the NB Power Rate Hearings
The reliability of Lepreau is the single biggest factor in whether your power rates stay flat or jump by 10%. When the plant runs well, NB Power makes money. When it doesn't, you pay. Following the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) filings gives you a direct look at the plant's performance metrics.
Watch the SMR Development Timeline
If you are in the construction, engineering, or tech sectors, the move toward SMRs at the Lepreau site is a massive economic signal. These projects are expected to bring hundreds of high-paying jobs to the region over the next decade.
Understand the "Baseload" Reality
As the province pushes for more electric vehicles (EVs) and heat pumps, the demand on the grid is surging. Point Lepreau is the only thing standing between New Brunswick and a total reliance on imported energy. Supporting local energy efficiency helps reduce the strain on this aging but vital piece of infrastructure.
The future of energy in the Atlantic provinces is being written on that rocky outcrop in the Bay of Fundy. It is a mix of legacy CANDU tech and the experimental promise of SMRs. Whether you love it or hate it, Point Lepreau is the heart of the regional grid, and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon.