Bruce Power continues to be diligent in the battle against COVID-19 to keep workers, communities safe

Almost eight months since the COVID-19 health crisis changed the everyday lives of Canadians and people around the world, Bruce Power hasn’t wavered from its commitment to protecting and keeping its workers and communities safe.

The company has put a number of safety measures in place at its facilities, allowing Bruce Power to continue with its Life-Extension work and Major Component Replacement (MCR) Project.

“Thanks to the efforts of our employees and contractors, we have been ahead of the curve in implementing many proactive prevention measures on site over the last six months, such as physical distancing protocols, increased hygiene, sanitation measures and masks,” said President and CEO Mike Rencheck. “We recently began COVID testing and screening of select Bruce Power and supplemental staff and contractors. Our precautionary measures, combined with our new testing capabilities, put us in an excellent position to continue keeping our people safe.”

“In recent days, Ontario has seen a rise in the number of cases. This is a stark reminder that we need to be vigilant at work, at home and in our communities to limit the spread of COVID-19.”

Among the work being done on the Bruce Power site right now is the latest Cobalt harvest, this time from the Unit 8 nuclear reactor. After completing this harvest, the company will have provided enough isotopes in 2020 to sterilize between 20-25 billion pairs of surgical gloves or COVID swabs.

The reopening this week of the Strength In Numbers online portal (www.brucepower.com/strength-in-numbers) which allows community groups, small businesses and non-profit organizations to access personal protective equipment at competitive prices is one of many initiatives implemented to support the protection safety efforts Bruce, Grey and Huron counties, along with helping to kick start the economic recovery process in local communities, Ontario and across Canada.

Bruce Power continues to work closely with public health officials to ensure the company is aligned and proactive in its safety protocols. It is also continuing to support local schools and communities by securing hand sanitizer and other PPE for the Bluewater District School Board, the Bruce Grey Catholic District School Board, and the Huron County schools that fall under the Avon Maitland and Huron-Perth Catholic boards.

The company has partnered with NPX and Grey Bruce Huron Strong to create an online auction called the All in Ontario Challenge (www.gbhstrong.com/ all-in-ontario-challenge). Proceeds from the digital fundraiser will be donated to the United Way organizations of Bruce Grey and Huron-Perth to help those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, while the other half will go to local non-profit organizations which apply for funds through the United Way.

In August, Bruce Power provided 35,000 reusable cloth masks to employees, pensioners and contractors to be worn in the community or at work. Since the pandemic began, Bruce Power has provided 1.7-million pieces of PPE throughout Ontario, donated and raised more than $500,000 for local food banks, provided funding for research and development of ventilators to help COVID patients, worked with its supply chain partners to provide more than $380,000 to local and national organizations, and establish the Bruce Power Retooling and Economic Recovery Council.

“These continue to be challenging times for people across all walks of life and we’re fortunate to be in position of being able to help others,” said James Scongack, Executive Vice-President, Corporate Affairs and Operational Services. “We’re extremely grateful to all of our workers for taking the necessary precautions to continue the work we do in providing Ontarians with reliable, clean electricity, medical isotopes and in making sure the province will have nuclear power for decades to come.”

“We also remain committed to working with our public health officials and helping to keep our communities safe.”

About Bruce Power

Formed in 2001, Bruce Power is an electricity company based in Bruce County, Ontario. We are powered by our people. Our 4,200 employees are the foundation of our accomplishments and are proud of the role they play in safely delivering clean, reliable, low-cost nuclear power to families and businesses across the province. Bruce Power has worked hard to build strong roots in Ontario and is committed to protecting the environment and supporting the communities in which we live. Learn more at www.brucepower.com and follow us on FacebookTwitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.