![\"Editorial](\"https:\/\/cna.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Editorial-jobs2-300x221.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe planned refurbishment of 10 of Ontario\u2019s nuclear reactors is going to help keep electricity prices low in Ontario. It\u2019s a big project that will take 15 years to roll out \u2013 and it\u2019s expected to create more than 10,000 jobs, about 90% of them inside the province. But what kind of jobs are they?<\/p>\n
Peter Weekes should know: he\u2019s been at Bruce Power since 1977, and has worked on many of the key projects in running the plant. And the variety is something he likes. \u201cWithin the company, there\u2019s a breadth of experience to be gained,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019ve alternated my time between engineering, operations, and large projects.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some of those projects are the restarting of the Unit 1 and 2 reactors in 2012, and managing the replacement of steam generators for the upcoming refurbishment. He retired during the restart of Units 1 and 2, but loved the work so much that he came back the next day as a contractor. \u201cI like working with the people, particularly in planning for the major component replacement for the refurbishment,\u201d he says. \u201cThe people here want the refurbishment to go forward \u2013 we feel we\u2019re contributing to the future, and we are. We\u2019re extending the reactor\u2019s life and making it better.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the people he worked with throughout his career is his wife, Linda, who was involved in the restarting of Units 1 and 2, and in changing the reactors\u2019 fuel channels. Peter says that she was the only woman in the engineering program at Queen\u2019s in the late \u201960s and early \u201970s. \u201cIt\u2019s come a long way since then,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s a very diverse workforce \u2013 gender-wise, ethnically, religion, sexual orientation, and so on.\u201d<\/p>\n
But that workforce still needs new talent, he says. \u201cWe need to get people into the front end of the chain, so that they\u2019ll be experienced by the time they can lead the projects later on. I see a lot of people from the next generation working here, and it\u2019s rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of that next generation is Matthew Saldanha, who joined Bruce Power in 2013. As a senior technical engineer officer, Matthew is part of a team that manages any design changes to the plant. He works with his mentors to ensure that the plants\u2019 design integrity is kept intact. By doing this, the team is able to protect the stations\u2019 assets and the public.<\/p>\n
As a new recruit in the nuclear industry, Matthew says, \u201cIt was a little overwhelming, but I had my mentors, and worked with a good group around me. The learning curve was steep, but I wasn\u2019t doing anything by myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew describes relations between the plant and nearby communities as very good. \u201cMost people living in the town work at the plant, and in some way or another the plant touches everyone\u2019s lives. It only brings positive things to this area,\u201d he says. Peter agrees, noting that Bruce Power contributes to the community through social events such as beach parties and golf tournaments, and by supporting charities. And both are very comfortable living so close to the plant. \u201cI would live right up against the fence if that\u2019s where I had to be,\u201d says Peter.<\/p>\n
Matthew expects his stay near Bruce to be long too. \u201cI see myself staying here, though probably not at the same job: there\u2019s lots of room to move up, and the company is very receptive to that. I\u2019d recommend it to anybody.\u201d Peter says that the refurbishment has opened up new career opportunities. \u201cI might not have recommended it ten years ago, because the industry had levelled off: plans for the next station after Darlington had been shelved. Now that we\u2019re on the cusp of the refurbishments, I would certainly encourage people to get into the industry. This work will last another generation.\u201d<\/p>\n
And even after the refurbishments are done, the plants will keep running for decades, needing skilled people. According to Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, a single nuclear reactor employs about 640 people full-time, with great pay \u2013 and Ontario has 18 of these reactors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The planned refurbishment of 10 of Ontario\u2019s nuclear reactors is going to help keep electricity prices low in Ontario. It\u2019s a big project that will take 15 years to roll out \u2013 and it\u2019s expected to create more than 10,000 jobs, about 90% of them inside the province. But what kind of jobs are they? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[537],"tags":[],"topic":[],"class_list":["post-27956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-talknuclear"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n