Cambridge nuclear manufacturing plant BWX Technologies has announced an $80-million expansion that will include 200 new jobs.
The announcement came Friday morning at the company's Coronation Boulevard plant.
Construction for the BWXT Cambridge Expansion Project will be begin in the third quarter of 2024 and is estimated to be completed by the second half of 2026.
It will begin with a $50-million investment to add 55,000 square feet of manufacturing space to the Cambridge facility.
"As the result of our investment, it will increase our capacity to make large nuclear components by 50 per cent," said John MacQuarrie, president of commercial operations at BWXT, adding in a post announcement interview with CambridgeToday that they've designed it to ensure sufficient parking and the ability to continue to operate logistically, without any interruption.
Another $30 million will be invested in advanced manufacturing equipment that will further increase capacity, improve productivity and make BWXT more competitive, he added.
Most notably, MacQuarrie said is the "investment in people" and the addition of more than 200 jobs, including highly skilled steelworkers, engineers, technicians and other professional staff.
He said the company has already started hiring and he expects much of the company's future recruitment will come from the nearby Conestoga College skilled trades campus.
He called it a "fantastic" program that has become a major source of recruiting for BWXT. "We're getting some great, young workers from that program," he said.
The company's field service team will be moving to a new 150,000 square foot leased building in Kitchener.
"That's where we train and deploy lots of technicians and building trade into the nuclear plants when they're doing maintenance work during outages," MacQuarrie said.
Today's announcement was joined by local MPs, MPPs and regional and city officials, all of whom congratulated BWXT for its continued success as the nuclear industry experiences "a renaissance" with the global drive to produce clean, stable electricity.
“With shovels in the ground today on new nuclear generation, including the first small modular reactor in the G7, I’m so pleased to see global nuclear manufacturers like BWXT expanding their operations in Cambridge and hiring more Ontario workers,” said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy, in a news release.
“The benefits of Ontario’s nuclear industry reaches far beyond the stations at Darlington, Pickering and Bruce, and this $80 million investment shows how all communities can help meet Ontario’s growing demand for clean energy, while also securing local investments and creating even more good-paying jobs.”
The investment builds on BWXT’s existing operations in Ontario, which already employs 1,200 people, and supports the ongoing operations of Ontario’s existing nuclear stations at Darlington, Bruce and Pickering, the release said.
As Ontario takes a global leadership position on new nuclear technologies, including Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington New Nuclear Project for four small modular reactors and the first large-scale new nuclear build in a generation at the Bruce site, BWXT is expanding their operations and hiring more Ontario workers to be able to meet the growing demand here in Ontario, across Canada and beyond.
MacQuarrie said the company has manufactured 340 nuclear steam generators so far, about 80 per cent of which were for Bruce Power.
“Our expansion comes at a time when we’re supporting our customers in the successful execution of some of the largest clean nuclear energy projects in the world,” said MacQuarrie.
“At the same time, the global nuclear industry is increasingly being called upon to mitigate the impacts of climate change and increase energy security and independence. By investing significantly in our Cambridge manufacturing facility, BWXT is further positioning our business to serve our customers to produce more safe, clean and reliable electricity in Canada and abroad.”
Friday's announcement also welcomed Cambridge Ward 4 councillor Ross Earnshaw, who spoke on behalf of Mayor Jan Liggett in saying the city is thrilled to see BWXT's continued growth in Cambridge as it highlights the strength of the local economy.
"As a fixture in the city's business community since the 1840s, BWXT's longevity has been a wonderful success story for our community," he said. "For generations, Cambridge residents have enjoyed rewarding careers with this company. We're excited to see what this new chapter will bring."
