GE Hitachi to Conduct Canadian Supplier Webinar for BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) today announced that it will conduct a webinar for Canadian suppliers interested in providing material, equipment and services in support of the possible construction of its BWRX-300 small modular reactor in Canada. The webinar, scheduled for April 28, will be conducted in cooperation with the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI).

The webinar will enable OCNI member companies including suppliers, manufacturers and contractors to learn more about the BWRX-300, GEH’s vision for a clean energy future and steps the company is taking to pursue licensing of its reactor technology in Canada.  

“Canada is poised to play an important role in the deployment of the BWRX-300 SMR,” said Jon Ball, Executive Vice President of Nuclear Products for GEH. “We look forward to meeting with potential suppliers to discuss how they could support BWRX-300 construction and supply chain.”  

GEH recently made its first submittal to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) for the Vendor Design Review (VDR) of the BWRX-300. The submittals addressed eight of the 19 VDR focus areas including general plant description, control system and facilities, research and development and design process.

The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GEH’s U.S. NRC-certified ESBWR. Through dramatic design simplification, GEH projects the BWRX-300 will require significantly less capital cost per MW when compared to other water-cooled SMR designs or existing large nuclear reactor designs.

By leveraging the existing ESBWR design certification, utilizing licensed and proven nuclear fuel designs, incorporating proven components and supply chains and implementing simplification innovations the BWRX-300 can, GEH believes, become cost-competitive with power generation from combined cycle gas plants and renewable energy platforms. As the tenth evolution of GE’s first Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) design, GEH’s BWRX-300 represents the simplest, yet most innovative BWR design since GE began commercializing nuclear reactors in 1955.

Heather Chalmers, President & CEO of GE Canada will also participate in the webinar. GE has operated in Canada for more than 100 years and today has major manufacturing facilities and sales and service locations across the country. The company is investing in innovation across the country bringing together global expertise and advanced technology to address the challenges that businesses are facing in Canada and worldwide. 

GEH is planning to conduct several supplier forums in Canada within the next 12 months and will invite all Canadian suppliers interested in potentially supplying goods and services for a BWRX-300 project.