GE Vernova, Hitachi, SGE and Samsung C&T sign BWRX-300s MoU

The signatories of the memorandum of understanding - Poland's SGE, the US's GE Vernova, Japan's Hitachi and South Korea's Samsung C&T - will establish "a framework for cooperation on market development and commercial opportunities" for the deployment of the BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR).

GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, a joint venture between GE Vernova and Hitachi, is the designer of the BWRX-300. Samsung Construction and Trading Corporation (Samsung C&T) has considerable experience in major nuclear and energy infrastructure projects. SGE is already developing projects for a fleet of BWRX-300 reactors in Europe, notably in Poland and the UK.

The official announcement of the MOU signing said it was "linked to the memorandum of cooperation for SMR deployment in third countries signed on the margins of this year's NATO summit by United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japan Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu, and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Cho Hyun".

It said the US Department of State saw it as "a concrete industry effort to advance BWRX-300 deployment across Europe and deepen government-industry cooperation on global energy security".

In quotes

Roger Martella, GE Vernova's Chief Corporate Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer, said: "GE Vernova has a long-standing history and presence across the European continent. This collaboration brings together complementary capabilities to help advance BWRX-300 deployment across multiple markets and build on the momentum already behind the technology."

Yasunori Inada, CEO of Nuclear Energy Business Unit, Hitachi, said: "This collaboration brings together the strengths and expertise of each partner, and Hitachi will contribute to exploring the deployment of the BWRX-300 in Europe by drawing on the technological capabilities cultivated through our nuclear business and on our collaboration with qualified Japanese suppliers."

Jung Wook Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Business Unit and Global Operation, Samsung C&T, said: "Samsung C&T is honoured to open a new chapter in Europe's SMR business together with GE Vernova, Hitachi and SGE. Building on Samsung C&T's proven EPC capabilities, we will fully leverage the synergy created by this four-way partnership to strengthen Europe's energy security and contribute to the realisation of carbon neutrality."

Michał Sołowow, founder of SGE, said: "Europe and the UK need a scalable commercial model for new nuclear, built on proven technology, established supply chains and world-class delivery partners. By combining GE Vernova Hitachi's BWRX-300 technology, Hitachi's industrial capabilities and Samsung C&T's global construction expertise, SGE is creating a platform to deploy standardised nuclear fleets across multiple markets."

Background

The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GVH's US Nuclear Regulatory Commission-certified ESBWR boiling water reactor design and its existing, licensed GNF2 fuel design, a unique combination that GVH says positions it to deliver an "innovative, carbon-free baseload power generation source" this decade.

The first BWRX-300 is under construction at Ontario Power Generation's Darlington site in Canada, with completion expected by the end of the decade.

SGE has a number of potential projects under way across Europe - including in Poland, where a decision in principle has been issued for 26 BWRX-300 SMRs, and in the UK  where a proposal for a fleet of 14 of the SMRs across three sites is being considered under the UK’s Advanced Nuclear Framework programme.

Read more: SGE confident of UK SMR fleet prospects