The President and CEO of Bruce Power is stepping down.
Duncan Hawthorne made the announcement to employees on Monday morning saying with a new long-term framework secured for the site and a stable eight-unit operation, he plans to retire this year.
Hawthorne says he is proud of the performance track record, proven leadership team and strong reputation of Bruce Power.
“The time I have spent at the Bruce Power site has been the highlight of my career and I believe I am making this decision at a time that is right for my own personal circumstances and for the company,” says Hawthorne. “Bruce Power has a strong and capable leadership team supported by a committed and talented employee group. Our performance is a clear demonstration of this and I have no doubt that the company will continue to grow and prosper under a new President and CEO.”
He says its the right time to transition adding his replacement will be brought in just in time for the next refurbishment in 2020.
Bruce Power is expected to begin its search for a new President and CEO in the near future.
Ontario Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli issued the following statement in regards to Duncan Hawthorne announcing his retirement:
"Duncan Hawthorne’s distinguished career and many years of leadership have left a lasting impression here in Ontario and across the international nuclear energy community. For more than a decade, Duncan’s vision and commitment to excellence transformed Bruce Power into one of North America’s leading energy companies with a proud culture of innovation, safety, and continuous improvement that is apparent to anyone who visits the Bruce site. Ontario owes the clean, reliable, and affordable electricity system that we all enjoy in no small part to the revitalization of the Bruce A reactors, which is an important part of Ontario’s Long-Term Energy Plan and which Duncan successfully led. Over the years, Bruce Power and the Province of Ontario have grown an association that is unique among public-private partnerships. I recall quite clearly in 2011, when a tsunami hit the eastern coast of Japan, and questions quickly and abundantly arose about the safety of our nuclear stations here at home. Canadians were eagerly and justifiably looking for information and assurance, and it was Duncan who was on television and radio day and night providing that fact-based, plain-language, reassuring presence across the country that all Canadians came to rely on. Ontario will miss Duncan’s stewardship of our largest generating station, his thoughtful counsel and steady hand. Despite his retirement as CEO, it is great news that Duncan will continue to play a role in Bruce Power and the Canadian Nuclear Industry. I wish him all the very best in his future endeavours."