GE Vernova Hitachi, Emirates Nuclear Energy to Evaluate SMR Deployment

GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding during a private ceremony at the World Utilities Congress in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to co-evaluate deploying the BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) technology internationally.

“As we continue to power the UAE with clean, baseload electricity around the clock, we are glad to move to the next level of cooperation with GE Vernova Hitachi to accelerate the deployment of new advanced nuclear reactor technologies in the UAE and internationally,” said HE Mohamed Al Hammadi, Managing Director and CEO of ENEC. “This MoU will bring together our complementary expertise to identify a clear roadmap for deployment, which is essential to ensure safe, efficient, and quality-led nuclear delivery, as we have experienced here in the UAE. As global power demand continues to grow at pace, we look forward to advancing new solutions to meet this growth sustainably.”

ENEC and GE Vernova Hitachi signed an MoU in 2023 at COP 28 to evaluate the technology as part of ENEC’s ADVANCE program for advanced nuclear technology. The program was created to accelerate the evaluation and potential deployment of nuclear technologies. Nuclear energy can help meet current power demands with reliable, dispatchable, and sustainable power.

Al Hammadi and Maví Zingoni, CEO of GE Vernova’s Power segment, will explore opportunities for international deployment and develop a roadmap for site identification, licensing pathways, investment and commercialization strategies, and supply chain development.

“SMRs have an essential role to play in an energy secure future, and we are pleased to advance our collaboration with ENEC as the UAE seeks to be an early mover for nuclear innovation,” Zingoni said. “With projects moving forward in Canada and in the United States, collaborating with ENEC further strengthens our ties with the UAE and our ability to deliver this technology and achieve a more sustainable energy future.”

Last week, GVH announced that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission received its first application for the construction of a GVH BWRX-300 SMR from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Each BWRX-300 provides approximately 300 MW of electricity.

TVA plans to use the SMR at the Clinch River site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The investment is part of a technical collaboration agreement among Ontario Power Generation, Synthos Green Energy, and GVH. TVA also leads a coalition of utility companies and supply chain partners that applied for an $800 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to accelerate the nation’s first SMR construction.

GVH also announced that the Province of Ontario and Ontario Power Generation approved the construction phase for GVH’s first BWRX-300 SMR at OPG’s Darlington site. Completion is expected by 2030, and three additional SMRs are planned for future installation at this location.

The BWRX-300 is a boiling-water reactor that generates 300 MW of power and uses a standard design, leveraging nine previous generations of development. It uses commercially available fuel and features a minimized footprint, requiring less concrete and steel for construction. The low-cost BWRX-300 can be deployed across numerous applications, including:

• Electricity generation
• Hydrogen production
• Desalination
• District heating
• Coal-to-nuclear plant conversion