GE Vernova’s nuclear division, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH), has entered into several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Aecon, AtkinsRéalis, Jacobs, and Laing O’Rourke.
These partnerships represent significant progress in GEH’s potential deployment of its BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) technology in the UK. The initiative is currently advancing through the selection process being run by Great British Nuclear (GBN).
Aecon, a provider of construction services, including project management, planning, and execution, is actively involved in Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington New Nuclear Project. AtkinsRéalis, meanwhile, is serving as the project’s architect and engineer. Construction at Darlington is scheduled to begin in 2025, with commercial operations expected to commence by late 2029. The MoUs will allow GEH to apply insights gained from the Darlington project to its UK operations, supporting the smooth advancement of its efforts.
In addition, GEH’s collaboration with Jacobs is expected to provide top-tier design capabilities suited to the UK’s regulatory and environmental requirements. The MoU with UK-based Laing O’Rourke will contribute to the development of the SMR programme, leveraging Laing O’Rourke’s expertise in modern construction techniques.
These agreements build on GEH’s prior collaboration with Sheffield Forgemasters, exploring how the company’s specialist forgings could play a key role in the deployment of the BWRX-300 technology in the UK.
GEH UK Country Leader Andy Champ 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, which can play a key role in helping Britain become a clean energy superpower.
“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.”
Building on its long-standing presence in the UK, GE Vernova has established a substantial local footprint, operating four manufacturing facilities. Currently, over 30% of the UK’s electricity is generated using GE Vernova’s technology. GEH is dedicated to fostering a strong UK supply chain for the deployment of its BWRX-300 SMR. Earlier this year, GEH hosted an SMR supply chain conference in Sheffield, which attracted over 150 UK businesses.
In a separate development, GEH was awarded a £33.6m grant from the UK Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) in January 2024 through the Future Nuclear Enabling Fund (FNEF). Following the receipt of this grant, GEH initiated the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process for the BWRX-300 technology.
