BWXT Canada awarded major contracts for 2 OPG plants

The projects are expected to create 350 new jobs, support a 30-year life extension for the Pickering plant, and deploy GE Hitachi’s BWRX-300 small modular reactor—the first in the G7—at Darlington. BWXT Canada is a subsidiary of BWX Technologies, which is headquartered in Virginia and has 14 operating sites in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Demand for electricity in the province is expected to increase by 75 percent by 2050, according to the 2025 Annual Planning Outlook from Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), presented in October. It is the equivalent of adding four and a half cities the size of Toronto to the grid. Ontario is planning to meet the needs of residents, in part, with nuclear power—which currently provides about one-half of the province’s energy.

“Ontario needs steady leadership to build out a clean and affordable energy future, by leveraging our province’s nuclear advantage,” said Stephen Lecce, minister of energy and electrification, in a news release. “As we expand and refurbish our nuclear fleet, we are announcing a major contract that creates 350 jobs with materials and components proudly stamped with ‘Made-in-Ontario.’ As Premier Ford continues to lead the fight against U.S. tariffs, our government will continue to build in Ontario and promote our technology and resources to the world.”

Pickering project: BWXT will manufacture 48 steam generators at its Cambridge, Ontario, facility for the Pickering life extension program. BWXT announced last April a C$80 million ($58 million) expansion at the facility, with plans to increase the plant’s footprint by 25 percent to support such projects. Work is expected to be complete by 2026.

The Pickering contract work is expected to last at least seven years and create at least 250 highly skilled trades positions, including welders, fitters, and machinists, as well as add more engineers and supporting staff. Refurbishing entails replacing major components in the plant.

Pickering Units 5–8, collectively known as Pickering B, went on line in the 1980s and are Canada’s oldest operating reactors. They produce 2,000 MW of power annually, which accounts for nearly 15 percent of Ontario’s power.

Darlington project: GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, the nuclear arm of GE Vernova, is having BWXT manufacture the reactor pressure vessel for its first BWRX-300, which is destined for the Darlington new nuclear project.

The reactor pressure vessel is the largest component within the SMR and contains the reactor core, coolant, and support structures. According to BWXT, it is the first manufacturer in North America to begin this type of work for an SMR technology.

GE Hitachi describes the BWXT-300 as “designed to reduce construction and operating costs by leveraging a unique combination of existing, certified nuclear fuel, plant simplifications, proven components, and a design based on an NRC-certified reactor.”

Early site work at Darlington is complete, and construction is expected to start later this year, pending regulatory approval, according to GE Hitachi. Commercial operation of the SMR is expected by the end of 2029. In total, four units are planned for the site.

Quotable: “The BWXT team stands ready to help our customers and Ontario create a future that provides abundant, emissions-free electricity, while increasing sustainable, good-paying jobs for Canada,” said John MacQuarrie, president of BWXT commercial operations. “We’ve been taking strategic steps to further meet the current and anticipated demand for nuclear power. These significant projects leverage BWXT’s extensive capabilities and specialized expertise in the delivery of large components for the domestic and global nuclear industry.”

Brian Riddell, member of provincial parliament for Cambridge, said, “Premier Ford and Minister Lecce are leading the largest expansion of nuclear energy on the continent to help meet soaring energy demand, creating new jobs in Cambridge and across the province. I couldn’t be more pleased that 350 workers in Cambridge will help manufacture the key components we need to power our growing province and cement Ontario’s position as a global leader in nuclear innovation.”