$12.8-billion Darlington Nuclear Project goes ahead

A massive refurbishment of the four nuclear reactors at the Darlington Station east of Toronto is going ahead. Ontario Power Corporation said it is ready to start on the $12.8-billion investment on a “mid-life” refurbishment of this “clean-power workhorse,” on January 11. The station is located at Clarington, about 80 kilometres east of Toronto, on the shores of Lake Ontario.

SNC-Lavalin in a 50/50 joint venture with Aecon Group has been awarded the contract to proceed with the execution phase, officially called the “Re-tube and Feeder Replacement.”

The joint venture has spent four years preparing for the refurbishment in great detail, (no doubt in an effort to avoid the very expensive overruns that have attended other nuclear plant refurbishments).

The preparations included preparing a full-scale reactor mock-up, which was used to allow the team to test specialized tools and to train workers who will use them. OPG say that the scope, schedule and cost of the project have been developed “to a level of detail not seen on prior projects,” and that “lessons learned from other major projects have been incorporated.”

OPG also said that the contracts have been structured to ensure that its partners “are accountable for price and schedule.” It has two independent oversight organizations involved, one reporting to the OPG board of directors, and one reporting directly to the Ontario Ministry of Energy.

Scores of consultant and construction companies are supplying the project, including: M.G. Burke Consulting, Babcock & Wilcox, NA Engineering, Intech, AMEC, Faithful & Gould, Black & McDonald, Worley Parsons, Tetra Tech, RCM Technologies, Algal Engineering and E.S. Fox.

The refurbishment will be done over the next 10 years. The work involves shutting down each reactor, removing fuel and heavy water and “islanding” the reactor from the other operating units using physical barriers. The reactor components are then replaced, which includes removing and replacing 480 fuel channel assemblies which will be processed and “placed into appropriate storage containers.” In background information OPG says, “Removing and replacing the reactor components is the critical part of the outage.”

The turbine and steam generators will also be disassembled, then rebuilt or replaced.

OPG says the refurbishment will extend the life of the 1990s-era CANDU reactors by 30 years. It will give, says OPG, “clean, reliable, base load power, at a cost lower than other alternatives considered.” It said the project is expected to cost $1.2 billion less than its original budgeted cost. Darlington’s 3,512 MWe capacity provides 20% of the province’s electricity.

OPG has also said that it intends to continue operating the nearby Pickering Nuclear Station, also east of Toronto, until 2024.

Environmentalist groups who are opposed to nuclear power say that the province should take a different approach, such as importing green hydro power from its neighbour, Quebec.

Quebec engineers in top ASHRAE awards

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has announced the winners of this year’s Technology Awards.

Once gain, a Quebec firm is among the select few, who will be presented with their awards at the ASHRAE 2016 Winter Conference to be held January 23-27 in Orlando, Florida.

Pageau Morel and Associates of Montreal (Nicolas Lemire, ing., president), has received first place in the new educational facilities category for the Anne-Marie Edward Science Building at John Abbot College in St-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec.

The building is named after Anne-Marie Edward, a student at John Abbot who had been pursuing an engineering degree when she became a victim of the 1989 shooting at Ecole Polytechnique.

The six-storey laboratory building at John Abbot College combines energy systems, using geothermal wells, electrical heating and cooling, natural gas hot water heating and solar preheating. Potable water consumption is reduced with the use of low flow plumbing fixtures.

It maximizes resources through reuse and recuperation, as follows:

• reuse of return air as compensation air in laboratories
• reuse of coil condensation water to humidify exhaust air
• recuperation on both general and laboratory exhausts
• recuperation through heat pump extraction and storage in stratified tanks
• recuperation of rainwater and fan-coil condensation water.

ASHRAE’s citation notes that laboratory ventilation requirements and large glazing surfaces can have devastating effects on energy efficiency. Nonetheless, the building’s actual energy use is 45% lower than the baseline case and 10% lower than the simulation.

The other four ASHRAE Technology Awards went to U.S. engineers and projects, Cyclone Energy Group for the Walgreens Net Zero Store in Evanston, Illinois (new commercial buildings); Integral Group for DPR Construction’s San Francisco Net Positive Energy Office (existing commercial buildings); Port of Seattle for the Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) Airport Pre-Co`nditioned Air (new industrial facilities and processes); and Ecotope for the Stack House Apartments in Seattle, Washington (residential).

Problems on new Nipigon River bridge

Ontario’s Transportation Minister, Steven Del Duca, was due to head up to the Nipigon River Bridge in northwestern Ontario on Wednesday.

Part of the steel decking of the bridge lifted almost 60 centimeters on January 10, reportedly during very high winds. No-one was injured but the crossing was closed for almost a day, which severed the Trans-Canada Highway and “cut Canada in half,” said one media report.

The $106-million project is still under construction and has earned a high profile as Ontario’s first cable-stayed bridge.

Initially reports suggested that the cold temperatures had caused an expansion joint to fail, and that a gust of wind had lifted the deck from its base. At the end of Monday, Ontario Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle told CTV News, “Apparently the bolt that holds the girders in place, which keeps the bridge level, broke in some fashion and that lifted the bridge up.”

By Monday crews had re-leveled the bridge temporarily using the weight of 110 highway barriers. That allowed a single lane to be reopened to traffic in both directions, but only for cars and regular weight trucks.

Gary Weiss spoke of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation said that the bridge had many redundancies and is really flexible.

The crossing is on Highway 11 located near the municipality of Greenstone, about 250 kilometers northeast of Thunder Bay. It links Ontario to western Canada and carries around 1,300 trucks a day carrying goods worth $100 million. When the bridge was closed trucks were diverted through Sault Ste. Marie and the United States.

The NDP MP said the incident demonstrated the need for more infrastructure in northern Ontario.

Construction on the bridge started in the summer of 2013. The westbound side was opened to two-lane traffic in November last year and completion is set for 2017. It has three towers rising 70 metres above the river, and a main span 139 meters long. McCormick Rankin and Buckland & Taylor are the design engineers.

Engineers’ associations in Nova Scotia and P.E.I. launch Canada’s first dual membership

The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC) is considering again whether it should regulate engineering practices.

In a website post dated November 5, the licensing body notes that while the province’s Engineers and Geoscientists Act does have provisions for the association to issue certificates of authorization to firms, there is no legal obligation for companies to obtain the certification. This situation is in contrast to that in other provinces, such as Ontario where Professional Engineers Ontario requires engineers in private practice to obtain a Certificate of Authorization.

APEGBC’s Council reminds its members that its prime purpose is to protect the public, but also that it must see that its members’ perspectives are heard. It has therefore set up a task force on corporate practice to consider the issues. The task force will include its members, representatives from government, manufacturing, construction and the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-B.C. (ACEC-BC). To learn more, click here.

Engineers Nova Scotia has approved some important and progressive changes lately. First it has established an agreement with its counterpart licensing body in Prince Edward Island —Engineers PEI — to have one application form for individuals who want to become members. The dual agreement between the two provincial licensing engineering body is a first in Canada and demonstrates their commitment to inter-provincial mobility.

Engineers Nova Scotia has also established a Limited Engineering Licence. Eligible licensees are people who do not have the academic qualifications for a full professional licence, but are well qualified individuals who are technically experienced in a specific field. The licence holders will be granted the licence within a defined scope of practice. They will use Eng.L. as a professional designation, and “Limited Engineering Licence” appears on their stamp. They also must have a relevant post-secondary degree in science or engineering, minimum 10 years of relevant experience, and must meet exactly the same standards for language proficiency, ethics and good character. They will have full voting rights in the association.

Engineers Nova Scotia is also celebrating the fact that its efforts since 2008 to see the province limit the liability of engineers has finally borne fruit. The Limitations of Actions Act commenced on September 1 this year. The association calls the new rules a “major achievement for our association.” Engineers’ potential liability is now limited to a fixed period of two years from the time an event is known to have occurred, or to a maximum of 15 years from the original work. Previously engineers’ liability was open ended.

To read articles about these initiatives, see the association’s magazine, The Engineer. Click here.

Quebec to revamp bidding process on construction contracts

The Government of Quebec has unveiled a new plan to help companies — especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) — have fair access to government contracts.
The program, entitled “Passeport Entreprises: Faciliter l’accès aux contrats de l’État,” was announced on October 30. It is intended not only to improve access to contracts, but also to improve contract procedures.

According to the announcement, companies currently are experiencing difficulties in bidding on public tenders because they find the requirements are sometimes disproportionate to the project, and the process is too complex.
The government intends to set up a working group with representatives of SMEs and public bodies to review tender documents and ensure they are not excessive and don’t hinder competition.

Among the proposals, which would be implemented by the end of 2016, are that public bodies should be obliged to use standard bidding documents, and that there be a uniform template for tender submissions. At least one SME would need to be invited during a call for tender, and there would be opportunities to bid electronically.
The government may also consider using fixed price contracts as opposed to paying by hourly rates.

The plan also aims to ensure that SMEs and start-up companies have access to more information about bids. It acknowledges that in the past companies often have not been sufficiently informed about the strengths and weaknesses of their submissions, which prevents them from improving for the next time.

The government also said it wants to ensure that tenders don’t exclude companies due to “excessive demands” that can make it appear that a tender is targeted for certain firms.
A new post of Commissioner for Public Contracts (Commisssaire aux contrats publics) is to be created. He or she will be in charge of managing public contracts and be the “watch dog” to ensure integrity and sound practices. The intention is to transfer this function from the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), which currently carries out the overseeing role.

The new Commissioner will have the power to cancel or require changes to a tender. Also, recommendations of the Charbonneau Commission, which are due this fall, will be adopted into the new regime where appropriate.

The Quebec Construction Association (ACQ) issued a statement on November 3 in support of the new Passeport Entreprises plan and said they were pleased also that the government indicated it is aware of the problems of late payment in the construction industry. To help in this regard the government plans to boost the activities of the Exchange Forum, a group which has not met since 2013.

Every year the Quebec government allocates more than $20 billion for contracts of various types. It says SMEs represent over 99% of Quebec companies and “are the lungs of our economy.”

The announcement of the Passeport Entreprises was made on October 30 by Martin Coiteux, Minister Responsible for Government Administration and Chair of the Treasury Board, and Jean-Denis Girard, Minister for Small and Medium Enterprises.
To read the Quebec government announcement of October 3, click here.

Engineering firms help improve cement industry, lessen impact of Oil Sands

Several engineering companies have band together to conduct environmental research into the operations of Canada’s oil sands. One of the engineering firms that helped Lafarge Canada upgrade a cement kiln located in Exshaw, Alberta was WorleyParsonsKomex. The company was also responsible for obtaining environmental permits and giving geotechnical services for Lafarge’s expansion plan to bring up the facility’s manufacturing capacity by 60 percent. The upgrade, which costs $20 million, substantially minimized emissions of sulphur dioxide by 60 percent and reduced nitrogen oxide emissions by 40 percent. It also included equipment that reduced the plant’s dust and noise levels.

 

On the other hand, AECOM Technology is currently undertaking three environmental research projects on the use and recycling of water for Canada’s oil sands projects. The study is being done for Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA), an organization composed of oil sands producers. COSIA’s goal is for the producers to work together in looking for new technologies and seeking new methods to reduce the industry’s impacts to the environment. So far, its member firms have already come up with 560 technologies worth $900 million.

 

Meanwhile, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $23 million contract to engineering firm Tetra Tech. The single-award contract covers five years and will use field work, laboratory analysis, modeling and data interpretation in order to evaluate and lessen the effects that contaminated fish, microbes and toxins, among others. Through this contract, Tetra Tech will be supporting ways to address issues related to water pollution.

 

In a related development, Henry Lang of Golder Associates based in the U.K. has also written an article for the 111^th Issue of European Oil & Gas Magazine 2014 on how firms involved in the extraction of shale gas can conduct hydraulic fracturing, popularly known as fracking, in a responsible manner. Lang gave an in-depth examination of the matter and wrote that the best practices must involve thorough scrutiny of the reservoirs and comprehensive water management.

Ontario sets up Ring of Fire Infrastructure Development Corporation

The province of Ontario has established the Ring of Fire Infrastructure Development Corporation within the promised window of 60 days. The not-for-profit corporation was set after Ontario pledged on July 3, 2014 to put up the company in just two months.


The ROF Infrastructure Development Corporation is integral to the promotion of progress in the Ring of Fire, a region believed to have a mineral potential worth $60 billion. Located 540 kilometers northeast of Thunder Bay, the Ring of Fire’s mineral potential includes the largest chromite deposit ever found in North America to date. The said corporation, which currently has four of the province’s public servants on its interim board, will focus on the First Nations as well as public and private sectors to form partnerships. Ultimately making decisions regarding transportation infrastructure.


The role of the current four-member Board of Directors will be to put in place the necessary structures so that the partners can decide on their level of participation in the development firm. When the corporation becomes fully-formed, it will be capable of giving advice regarding critical investment on the province’s infrastructure. It will also determine how the province’s $1 billion commitment to infrastructure development in the Ring of Fire can be used best.

Ontario is investing in the Ring of Fire as part of its economic plan that puts primary importance in constructing modern infrastructures, investing in people and promoting a business climate that is modern and vibrant.