Canada Begins Construction of First SMR

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and GE Vernova together with other partners has started the construction of the first of four BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMRs). The construction of the first BWRX-300 SMR is planned to be completed in 2029.

At this stage, project team completed early site preparation, paving the way for construction to begin. Now they are ready to lay high-strength steel and pour concrete.

The fuel for SMRs will be manufactured at Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF), a GE Vernova led joint venture, in Wilmington, North Carolina, which has provided fuel for the nuclear industry.

The reactor pressure vessel—the largest component of BWRX-300—is being manufactured at the BWXT supplier’s production facility in Cambridge, Ontario. The 300-megawatt reactor is a 10th-generation design based on decades of boiling water reactor operating experience and innovation. Its development relies on a well-established supply model and GE Vernova’s many years of international experience in regulatory collaboration.

According to GE Vernova, the site in Darlington will become a pioneer in the deployment and development of SMR technology. Countries such as the USA, Poland, and Sweden are working on strengthening energy security, reducing carbon emissions, and meeting growing energy demands, and BWRX-300 could provide a solution to these challenges.