BWXT, Westinghouse partner for nuclear new builds in Canada
BWXT Canada, a subsidiary of BWX Technologies, is partnering with Westinghouse Electric Company to build new nuclear projects in Canada and globally.
Representatives from the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding, which they announced last week, that could include joint manufacturing of key AP1000 and AP300 reactor components, including steam generators, reactor vessels, pressure vessels, and heat exchangers. The AP1000 is a licensed pressurized water reactor, two of which are now operating at Vogtle Units 3 and 4; and the AP300 is a small modular reactor that Westinghouse expects to be design certified by 2027.
The partnership is part of a series of agreements with Canadian firms to bolster Westinghouse's global AP1000 and AP300 initiatives; this latest MOU does not include specifics on a project or timeline.
Quotable: “This partnership will expand the power of clean energy around the globe,” John MacQuarrie, president of BWXT commercial operations, said in a news release. “In addition to our highly skilled Canadian workforce and decades [of] experience, we have unmatched manufacturing capabilities that will help bring Westinghouse’s designs to life, supplying the world with the carbon-free energy it needs for decades to come.”
Dan Lipman, president of Westinghouse Energy Systems, said, “BWXT Canada is a leading supply chain partner that will help us deliver North America’s next AP1000 project on time and on budget.”
A closer look: BWXT Canada has more than 60 years of experience in designing, manufacturing, commissioning, and servicing nuclear power generation equipment, including PWR steam generators, nuclear fuel and fuel components, critical plant components, parts, and related plant services.
As one of North America’s heavy lifters in nuclear power generation equipment, BWXT will provide Westinghouse and its customers certainty within the supply of major components for AP1000 and AP300 new build projects.
BWXT said it has delivered more than 300 steam generators and other complex components for the global market, and the company plans to manufacture pieces needed for future reactors at its Canadian site.
In related news
- Westinghouse has signed MOUs with Ontario Power Generation and Curtiss-Wright Nuclear to support Canadian projects using the AP1000 and AP300.
- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and the U.K. Office of Nuclear Regulation signed a trilateral memorandum of cooperation in March, which is expected to foster development of shared approaches for reviewing common technical safety issues to meet each country’s regulatory requirements.
- The NRC approved the instrument and control system in Westinghouse’s eVinci microreactor, setting the stage for its potential autonomous operation in the future.
- In May, BWXT Canada joined a qualified supplier group being formed by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy to support global deployment of BWXT’s SMR, being built at a Cambridge, Ontario, facility.
