Point Lepreau

This brief pamphlet gives general information about the station. The Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station consists of a single CANDU 600 unit with a total net capacity of 630,000 kilowatts. This single reactor, the first nuclear installation in Atlantic Canada, is expected to supply about 20% of New Brunswick's electrical energy during the 1980's. The station is located on the Lepreau peninsula, overlooking the Bay of Fundy, 40 km southwest of Saint John on Route 790, off Highway 1. Construction of Point Lepreau began in May 1975 and was completed late in 1981. At the peak of construction activity in 1979, 3,300 workers were employed on the project. First power was produced in September 1982 and Lepreau began commercial operation early in 1983. Point Lepreau was built with provision for an additional 600 MW unit on the site and is essentially a duplicate of CANDU 600 reactors in Quebec, Argentina and Korea. Although started third, Lepreau was the first of these CANDU's in Canada and abroad to be licensed for operation, the first to achieve criticality (start-up), and the first to begin commercial operation. Lepreau is owned and operated by New Brunswick Power