Outage at New Brunswick's Point Lepreau plant to continue until mid-November

The Point Lepreau nuclear power plant is seen on Monday, July 9, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kevin Bissett

It could still be a few more months before NB Power’s Point Lepreau nuclear power plant is back in operation.

The station underwent what was supposed to be a 100-day planned maintenance outage for necessary repairs starting April 6. However, the utility company now says it could be until mid-November before operations are restored.

“During start-up, a critical issue related to the main generator on the non-nuclear side of the station was identified that needs to be addressed before PLNGs can return to service,” NB Power said in a news release on Thursday.

“This is like when you take your vehicle in for scheduled maintenance, and while your mechanic has the hood up doing the planned work, an additional issue is identified.

“It can be frustrating, but ultimately, it’s going to mean your vehicle can stay on the road safely for a longer period of time.”

NB Power says the full extent of the issue is still under investigation.

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The utility says the outage will not affect electricity supply to customers. While the Point Lepreau station is offline, NB Power is relying on its other generation units in the area to provide customers with electricity.

“While the station is not operating, we are using this time to do other work that cannot be done during normal station operation,” says the release. “This will have additional longer-term benefits to making the facility more efficient and effective.”

CTV Atlantic reached out to NB Power for additional comment, but was declined an interview.

The Point Lepreau facility is the only nuclear power plant in Atlantic Canada.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.