New Brunswick’s nuclear power plant expected to be off-line for weeks, official says

A New Brunswick nuclear power plant operator has informed that the facility is anticipated to be out of service for several weeks to address a heavy-water leak from a broken pipe, according to a representative. Kathleen Duguay, the plant's community manager, disclosed that plant personnel managed to locate the leak after the facility had cooled down. However, accessing the broken line required the use of specialized equipment like a scissor lift.

The Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station, which has now been shut down for the third time this year, was initially taken offline on September 11. NB Power, the public utility managing the plant, reassures that there is no threat to the public, employees, or the environment. While the plant's nuclear core underwent a substantial rebuild approximately 14 years ago, many of its auxiliary components, including the instrumentation lines, have been operational since its inception in the 1980s.

The nuclear power plant was offline from April to August for routine system checks and maintenance. Additionally, it experienced an additional shutdown for several days in early September for turbine system repairs.