Nuclear plant turbines dropped in harbour

Two turbines that were destined to be installed in the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant in New Brunswick ended up on the bottom of Saint John’s Harbour last October.

The low-pressure turbine rotors fell off a barge while being shipped to the plant, which is undergoing a $1.4 billion refurbishment.

After being hauled up from the ocean floor, the low-pressure turbine rotors were shipped back to the Siemens manufacturing plant in Scotland.  An independent examination found them to be in good enough shape to be refitted and they are now scheduled to be shipped back to Lepreau in June. They weigh 107 tonne and cost $10 million each.

According to the CBC, the Point Lepreau refurbishment project is three to four months behind schedule, but the incident with the turbines is not responsible.