GE Vernova’s nuclear business, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH), has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with Aecon, AtkinsRéalis, Jacobs and Laing O’Rourke to support the potential deployment of its BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) technology in the UK.
Aecon is the provider of construction services, including project management, construction planning and execution for Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington New Nuclear Project while AtkinsRéalis is serving as architect and engineer for the project. Construction at Darlington is expected to start in 2025 aiming for commercial operation by the end of 2029. GEH will leverage lessons learned from the project to enhance progress in the UK.
GEH says its collaboration with Jacobs can facilitate best-in-class design capabilities tailored to the UK environment while the MOU with UK-based Laing O’Rourke will see it support the development of the programme, drawing on its knowledge of modern methods of construction.
These agreements build on GEH’s previously announced collaboration with Sheffield Forgemasters to discuss how the Sheffield-based company’s forgings could help contribute to BWRX-300 deployment in the UK.
The BWRX-300 is one of five SMR designs taking part in Great British Nuclear’s (GBN’s) SMR competition. The winner of the competition will receive government backing to deploy a fleet of SMRs in the UK.
Andy Champ, GEH UK Country Leader said: “Strategic relationships like these lay further foundations for the successful roll-out of our BWRX-300 technology in the UK. These MOUs underscore our desire to work closely with the UK nuclear supply chain as the SMR competition progresses…. “Given our BWRX-300 reactor is planned for deployment in Canada, collaborating with best-in-class experts across the industry puts us in an even stronger position to reliably deliver this technology for the best value for money. It also furthers our confidence in our ability to work with Great British Nuclear to bring our SMR technology to market.”
Thomas Clochard, Aecon Executive Vice President, Nuclear & Civil, said: “Aecon is proud to bring its full spectrum of nuclear construction and project management services, as well as unique fabrication and execution solutions to support the future deployment of SMRs in the UK working with GEH, Great British Nuclear and our partners.”
Joe St Julian, President, Nuclear, AtkinsRéalis, said: “As a global partner to GEH, we look forward to leveraging our experience at Darlington and bringing our broader knowledge and experience in new nuclear build programmes to ensure GEH’s nth-of-a-kind UK project delivers efficiently and safely to support UK government’s aspirations of 24GWs of nuclear before 2050.”
Jacobs Vice President Dawn James, said: “We will assist GEH to build relationships of trust with government and regulators, de-risk the program and secure the GDA statements on time. We have held trusted supplier status on all major UK nuclear licensing applications since 2007, drawing on a deep understanding of both the GDA process and the associated site-specific regulatory requirements for new nuclear power stations.”
Allan Gregory, Laing O’Rourke’s Nuclear Delivery Director, said: “As a proud member of the UK’s new nuclear supply chain, we are committed to helping the UK Government achieve its 2030 clean energy mission. We are delighted to be working with GEH to support its plans to deploy its BWRX-300 small modular reactor in the UK. We will harness our knowledge of modern methods of construction, as well as our established supply chain partnerships, to provide delivery certainty for GEH’s technology.”
GEH said it is committed to developing a robust UK supply chain for its BWRX-300 deployment having held a SMR supply chain conference in Sheffield earlier this year, which was attended by over 150 UK businesses. In January, GEH received a £33.6m ($44m) Future Nuclear Enabling Fund (FNEF) grant from the UK Department for Energy Security & Net Zero. In conjunction with the awarding of this grant, GEH entered the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process for the BWRX-300.
