TORONTO-  About 800 nuclear scientists, engineers and technologists at Candu Energy Inc. went on strike this morning after negotiators failed to reach a contract before today’s strike deadline.

Candu is owned by SNC-Lavalin and its reactors supply nearly half of Ontario’s electricity and 16 per cent of Canada’s overall electricity requirements.

Michelle Duncan, a spokeswoman for the Society of Professional Engineers and Associates union, says the strike will have a noticeable effect on operations. “The nuclear plants will not shut down”, says Duncan. “But there will be a problem at the plants”.

The union has said the main sticking points in the labour dispute involved wages and seniority.

It’s not known, at this point, how the strike might impact the Point Lepreau refurbishment project which is nearing completion.