The Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station is offline for the second time this month. A heavy water leak on an instrumentation line forced the closure.

Understanding the Leak

The leak occurred in the heat transport system. This system uses heavy water to carry heat from the reactor to conventional boilers. These boilers create steam to run the plant turbines. You do not need to worry about radiation. Heavy water is not radioactive.

Joel Armstrong is the deputy site vice president at Point Lepreau. He confirmed the leak and explained the situation to CBC News. Early monitoring systems detected the problem last week.

“We identified that there was potential for a leak,” Armstrong said. “We have lots of early monitoring at the station that gave us early indication that there was an issue.”

The early detection allowed crews to conduct a safe and predictable shutdown. The shutdown happened because workers need access to a challenging location to fix the equipment.

Impact on Your Power

You will still have reliable electricity service. N.B. Power is coordinating across its generation fleet to meet demand while Point Lepreau remains offline.

Officials do not know how long the repairs will take. Armstrong noted the plant will only return to service after crews complete all safety, technical and operational reviews.

Recent Maintenance Issues

This marks the second shutdown in September. Crews took the plant offline earlier this month to repair a gasket in the turbine system. That issue occurred on the non nuclear side of the plant.

Armstrong clarified the two incidents involve different equipment and require different operational decisions. Both of these September shutdowns follow a scheduled summer maintenance period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the heavy water leak dangerous?

No. Heavy water is not radioactive. It simply transfers heat from the reactor to the boilers.

How long will Point Lepreau remain closed?

Officials do not have a timeline for the repairs. The plant will reopen only after workers complete all necessary safety and technical reviews.

Will this shutdown cause power outages?

N.B. Power is using its other generation facilities to ensure you receive uninterrupted electricity service.