CANDU Energy, the reactor technology arm of engineering firm AtkinsRéalis, is opening a new office in Saint John as part of an effort to strengthen support for the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station and expand its footprint in New Brunswick’s nuclear sector.
The company announced last month that it will establish the office at Market Square. Maura McDonald, Vice-President of Key Account and Stakeholder Management for AtkinsRéalis, said a larger local presence will make the company better positioned to back the station.
McDonald said that while staff at Point Lepreau work hard for the station and for New Brunswickers, she believes it is also the responsibility of suppliers and original equipment manufacturers like CANDU to stand behind the reliability of the plant.
Recent Shutdowns at Point Lepreau
Point Lepreau has experienced several unplanned shutdowns over the past couple of years, which the company attributes to aging equipment and post-maintenance failures. In the span of two months this year, the station had two unplanned shutdowns: one on Aug. 31 to repair a gasket in the turbine system on the non-nuclear side of the plant, and another on Sept. 1 to repair a small instrumentation line inside the reactor building.
McDonald said the company is in regular contact with Point Lepreau about increasing its presence and support for the station to ensure alignment on what is needed.
New Jobs and Office Plans
According to McDonald, discussions with NB Power led AtkinsRéalis to identify Saint John as a strong location for expansion, citing potential benefits for the city’s economy and the broader region. The new Market Square office is expected to create 15 to 18 jobs spanning engineering, administrative work, Indigenous relations support, business development and project execution. The company is currently renovating the space and plans to hire at least eight engineering experts by 2027.
NB Power spokesperson Elizabeth Fraser-McAllister said the utility welcomes CANDU Energy’s decision to establish a presence in Saint John, describing the move as a reflection of the strength of New Brunswick’s nuclear sector and the expertise built over more than 40 years of Point Lepreau’s operation. She added that NB Power expects the local presence will create further opportunities for collaboration and engagement, and said the utility’s relationship with CANDU Energy remains grounded in a shared commitment to safe, reliable nuclear operations and the development of nuclear expertise in Canada.
Interest in Medical Isotopes and a Second Reactor
McDonald said AtkinsRéalis is open to supporting other nuclear-related initiatives in the province, including the potential production of medical isotopes, which are used in nuclear medicine to diagnose, monitor and treat conditions such as cancer and heart disease. She said CANDU is the only commercial-scale reactor capable of delivering isotopes and that the company has isotope-related experience worldwide, though it currently has no set timeline for any isotope project in New Brunswick.
Fundy Shores, the community that hosts Point Lepreau, has pushed for medical isotope development for several years. Mayor Denny Cogswell said the community has not held formal talks with AtkinsRéalis on the topic but is optimistic that the new southern-region office could lead to quicker progress on nuclear-related initiatives. He said isotope development could benefit not just Fundy Shores and the province, but the country as a whole. NB Power has also said it is exploring the potential production of radioisotopes at Point Lepreau, noting in February that the station’s CANDU 6 reactor design is well-suited for that purpose.
Separately, rising electricity demand in New Brunswick prompted the province to revive discussions this summer about building a second nuclear reactor next to Point Lepreau. McDonald said AtkinsRéalis is encouraged by the province’s interest, arguing a second reactor could improve the station’s reliability while delivering economic benefits to New Brunswick. She said the company hopes any second reactor built in the province would be a CANDU model, adding that New Brunswick is part of the national nuclear build-out conversation and that AtkinsRéalis is ready to support it.
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