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Business Case

After completing an exhaustive examination of all options and addressing concerns identified by the Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities and nuclear expert Dr. Robin Jeffrey, NB Power is confident that refurbishment with AECL represents the best balance of cost and risk for the ratepayers of New Brunswick.

At the request of the Premier of the Province of New Brunswick, the NB Power Board of Directors made its final recommendation regarding the project in late July 2005. NB Power considered that the cost and risk of the external investment option and the fossil fuel option were too high and that the AECL option represented the best balance of cost and risk. This recommendation was accepted by the province in a public announcement of the decision to proceed with the AECL contracts to refurbish Point Lepreau.

In addition to the items that were directly factored into the business case, it should be noted that the continued operation of the station has significant environmental as well as socio-economic benefits for the residents of southern New Brunswick.

The estimated cost of the project, including the purchase of replacement electricity, is $1.4 billion.