Defueling will take place in two phases. Workers begin with the “flow defuel” method for the first stage and then transition into using BRIMS, or the Bruce Reactor Inspection Maintenance System. This system enables shutdown of the heat transport pumps which are expensive to run. BRIMS will reduce the defuel timeline from 74 days to 65.5 days.
Decay heat is too great to use BRIMS directly after shut down. This is why the flow defuel method is employed to start.
