▁largest ▁city ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁The ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ▁Electric ▁Power ▁Commission ▁began ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁one ▁re actor , ▁with ▁an ▁option ▁for ▁a ▁second ▁one . ▁ ▁At ▁its ▁peak ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁the ▁construction ▁project ▁employed ▁ 3 , 5 0 0 ▁workers ▁and ▁ 1 0 8 ▁individual ▁contract s ▁out ▁of ▁ 1 3 9 , ▁were ▁granted ▁to ▁local ▁business es . ▁Point ▁Le pre au ▁was ▁lic ensed ▁for ▁operation ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁achieved ▁critical ity ▁four ▁days ▁later ▁and ▁began ▁commercial ▁operations ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁ ▁T ense ▁labour ▁relations ▁on ▁the ▁works ite ▁and ▁sky ro cket ing ▁construction ▁costs , ▁a ▁common ▁trait ▁among ▁large ▁infrastr ucture ▁projects ▁built ▁in ▁that ▁period , ▁triple d ▁the ▁early ▁forec asts . ▁The ▁estimated ▁price ▁tag ▁of ▁C $ 4 6 6 ▁million ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁increased ▁to ▁C $ 6 8 4 ▁two ▁years ▁later ▁and ▁to ▁C $ 8 9 5 ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁its ▁commission ing ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁the ▁total ▁cost ▁was ▁estimated ▁at ▁C $ 1 . 4 ▁billion , ▁ex cluding ▁interest ▁charges . ▁ ▁Oper ations ▁The ▁Point ▁Le pre au ▁N uc lear ▁Gener ating ▁Station ▁achieved ▁record ▁levels ▁of ▁avail ability ▁with ▁a ▁ 1 0 - year