Latest news with #GEHitachi
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TVA is first US utility to apply for an SMR construction permit
This story was originally published on Utility Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Utility Dive newsletter. The Tennessee Valley Authority on Tuesday became the first American utility to submit a small modular reactor construction permit application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The application is a key step in TVA's plan to build a 300-MW SMR by 2032 at its 1,200-acre Clinch River Nuclear site in Tennessee. Non-nuclear construction could begin next January 'or sooner' as the NRC works through an expected two years of review and six months of public hearings, TVA spokesperson Scott Fiedler said in an email. TVA aims to begin nuclear construction at Clinch River in late 2028 and commission the new power plant by the end of 2032, 'subject to change based on regulatory approval and other factors,' it says. In a statement hailing 'a significant milestone for TVA, our region and our nation,' TVA President and CEO Don Moul said the application would accelerate 'the development of new nuclear technology, its supply chain and delivery model to unleash American energy.' TVA says it will be the first U.S. utility to deploy GE Hitachi's BWRX-300 boiling water SMR. The design borrows from larger boiling water reactors developed by GE since the 1960s, but occupies a significantly smaller footprint and incorporates passive safety features that nuclear experts say reduce the risk of safety events. Advanced nuclear reactors like the BWRX-300 will help power producers deliver the energy needed to support artificial intelligence, quantum computing and advanced manufacturing industries, TVA said in a news release announcing the application. In 2023, TVA said it would form a working group with GE Hitachi, Ontario Power Generation and Synthos Green Energy to develop a standard design for the BWRX-300 and its modular components. The $400 million effort aimed to ready the reactor for deployment in the U.S., Canada, Poland and other countries, TVA said. 'TVA has put in the work to advance the design and develop the first application for the BWRX-300 technology, creating a path for other utilities who choose to build the same technology,' Moul said. In April, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission approved an Ontario Power Generation application to build the first of four BWRX-300 reactors at its Darlington nuclear power plant site. OPG hopes to begin construction later this year and commission the first reactor in 2029. In its 2025 draft integrated resource plan, TVA proposed adding up to 1 GW of nuclear capacity by 2035. That would be a small share of a new generation mix dominated by solar (up to 20 GW), gas (up to 19 GW) and energy storage (up to 6 GW). But TVA appears committed to ensuring nuclear remains part of its energy mix in the future. 'This is not about building an SMR. We are working to develop a technology, a supply chain, a delivery model and an industry that will unleash American energy,' Moul said last month, as TVA announced its application for a $800 million DOE grant to offset some of the Clinch River project's costs. The years-long federal permitting process for new reactors is a check on TVA's — and other reactor sponsors' — near-term nuclear ambitions. The NRC review of TVA's construction permit application could stretch into 2028, based on NRC's generic schedule. If NRC issues the construction permit, TVA could begin building the reactor complex while seeking a separate operating license that NRC says can take up to 36 months to review. A final decision on the operating license might not come until 2031 or early 2032, not far off from TVA's December 2032 target to power up the reactor. The BWRX-300 does have a significant advantage over some competing advanced reactor designs: It uses the same low-enriched uranium fuel as the other 94 reactors in the U.S. commercial fleet. That means it can tap into an established, global supply chain for the material. SMRs under development by X-energy, Oklo and other emerging nuclear technology companies require high-assay, low-enriched uranium, or HALEU, which is much scarcer. The U.S. is investing billions to develop a domestic HALEU supply chain to counter a self-imposed ban on Russian HALEU imports that takes effect in 2028. But substantial domestic, private-sector supplies remain years off. Recommended Reading Santee Cooper wants to sell its unfinished reactors. What happens next?
Hamilton Spectator
20-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Ontarians urge Ford government to scrap US nuclear deal for Canadian renewable energy
A new province-wide poll shows 80 per cent of Ontarians want the Ford government to cancel a major US nuclear deal in favour of Canadian renewable energy alternatives. Ford signed contracts in 2021 with US-based GE Hitachi for small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Darlington site and for enriched uranium imports — as the province moves ahead with its $20.9 billion plan to build four of the first SMRs in Canada. The first reactor is scheduled to be completed by 2029 and connected to the grid by 2030, supplying power to approximately 300,000 homes. The province says the project, once complete, will deliver 1,200 megawatts — enough electricity for 1.2 million homes. Despite the scale of the investment, it remains unclear how much of the $20.9 billion will go to GE Hitachi or other US-based suppliers. According to Ontario Power Generation (OPG), GE Hitachi is the technology developer for the Darlington SMRs — responsible for the design, procurement of major components, and engineering support for the project. Earlier this year, in response to new US tariffs, Ontario barred American firms from its electricity procurement process, urging utilities to 'buy Canadian' and seek domestic alternatives. The poll of 1,200 Ontarians, conducted by Oraclepoll Research for the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, found overwhelming support for clean energy alternatives: 88 per cent support expanding the grid to import water, wind, and solar from Quebec, Manitoba and the Maritimes; 70 per cent prefer wind and solar over US nuclear technology; 66 per cent back offshore wind projects in the Great Lakes; and 72 per cent support zero-interest utility programs for heat pumps to reduce gas use. Ontario Energy Minister Stephen Lecce defended the SMR project, calling it a 'nation-building' initiative. It will create 18,000 Canadian jobs, inject $500 million annually into the economy, and 80 per cent of project spending will remain in Ontario, he added. The construction 'will be led by Canadian workers using Canadian steel, concrete and materials to help deliver the extraordinary amount of reliable and clean power we will need to deliver on our ambitious plan to protect Ontario and unleash our economy,' Lecce said in a news release . But Jack Gibbons, chair of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, says the project increases Ontario's dependence on foreign suppliers at a time when trade tensions with the US are escalating. According to the alliance, the new reactors will rely on enriched uranium Canada cannot produce due to international non-proliferation agreements — meaning the fuel must be imported from the United States. 'It just doesn't make sense to build new, high-cost US nuclear reactors that will drive up our electricity bills, increase our dependence on the United States, and jeopardize our national security,' Gibbons said. 'We have safer and much cheaper alternatives: wind and solar combined with storage and stronger east-west energy cooperation.' Gibbons told Canada's National Observer the timing of this nuclear investment is particularly concerning, as Ontario is urging utilities to cut reliance on American suppliers. 'This is exactly the time for Ontario to look for alternative, clean-energy sources within Canada,' he said. In an emailed response to concerns raised by the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, OPG said building wind, solar, and battery storage to match the Darlington new nuclear project's power output would be more expensive. OPG also said the renewable alternative would require far more land, new transmission lines and face supply chain risks, according to an analysis by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). In contrast, the power company says the Darlington plan uses existing infrastructure, carries fewer risks, and is in a strategic location. Based on these findings, the IESO recommended going ahead with the project. The agency said the project is overwhelmingly Ontario-made. While the reactor design originates in the US, OPG says 80 per cent of the project's sourcing is from Ontario, with only five per cent coming from US suppliers. On the issue of fuel supply, the utility says it has established a diversified supply chain to minimize risks. Gibbons called on Premier Ford to collaborate with Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has pledged to make Canada a global clean-energy leader. According to the IESO, demand in Ontario is expected to rise 75 per cent by 2050. A recent report by the Ontario Clean Air Alliance estimates that electricity from new nuclear power would cost 3.6 times more than onshore wind, three times more than solar, and 1.7 times more than offshore wind. The alliance report also highlights Ontario's untapped renewable potential — especially wind energy from the Great Lakes, which could supply more than enough clean electricity to meet future demand.
National Observer
20-05-2025
- Business
- National Observer
Ontarians urge Ford government to scrap US nuclear deal for Canadian renewable energy
A new province-wide poll shows 80 per cent of Ontarians want the Ford government to cancel a major US nuclear deal in favour of Canadian renewable energy alternatives. Ford signed contracts in 2021 with US-based GE Hitachi for small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Darlington site and for enriched uranium imports — as the province moves ahead with its $20.9 billion plan to build four of the first SMRs in Canada. The first reactor is scheduled to be completed by 2029 and connected to the grid by 2030, supplying power to approximately 300,000 homes. The province says the project, once complete, will deliver 1,200 megawatts — enough electricity for 1.2 million homes. Despite the scale of the investment, it remains unclear how much of the $20.9 billion will go to GE Hitachi or other US-based suppliers. According to Ontario Power Generation (OPG), GE Hitachi is the technology developer for the Darlington SMRs — responsible for the design, procurement of major components, and engineering support for the project. Earlier this year, in response to new US tariffs, Ontario barred American firms from its electricity procurement process, urging utilities to 'buy Canadian' and seek domestic alternatives. The poll of 1,200 Ontarians, conducted by Oraclepoll Research for the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, found overwhelming support for clean energy alternatives: 88 per cent support expanding the grid to import water, wind, and solar from Quebec, Manitoba and the Maritimes; 70 per cent prefer wind and solar over US nuclear technology; 66 per cent back offshore wind projects in the Great Lakes; and 72 per cent support zero-interest utility programs for heat pumps to reduce gas use. Ford signed contracts in 2021 with US-based GE Hitachi for small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Darlington site and for enriched uranium imports — as the province moves ahead with its $20.9 billion plan to build four of the first SMRs in Canada. Ontario Energy Minister Stephen Lecce defended the SMR project, calling it a 'nation-building' initiative. It will create 18,000 Canadian jobs, inject $500 million annually into the economy, and 80 per cent of project spending will remain in Ontario, he added. The construction 'will be led by Canadian workers using Canadian steel, concrete and materials to help deliver the extraordinary amount of reliable and clean power we will need to deliver on our ambitious plan to protect Ontario and unleash our economy,' Lecce said in a news release. But Jack Gibbons, chair of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, says the project increases Ontario's dependence on foreign suppliers at a time when trade tensions with the US are escalating. According to the alliance, the new reactors will rely on enriched uranium Canada cannot produce due to international non-proliferation agreements — meaning the fuel must be imported from the United States. 'It just doesn't make sense to build new, high-cost US nuclear reactors that will drive up our electricity bills, increase our dependence on the United States, and jeopardize our national security,' Gibbons said. 'We have safer and much cheaper alternatives: wind and solar combined with storage and stronger east-west energy cooperation.' Gibbons told Canada's National Observer the timing of this nuclear investment is particularly concerning, as Ontario is urging utilities to cut reliance on American suppliers. 'This is exactly the time for Ontario to look for alternative, clean-energy sources within Canada,' he said. In an emailed response to concerns raised by the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, OPG said building wind, solar, and battery storage to match the Darlington new nuclear project's power output would be more expensive. OPG also said the renewable alternative would require far more land, new transmission lines and face supply chain risks, according to an analysis by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). In contrast, the power company says the Darlington plan uses existing infrastructure, carries fewer risks, and is in a strategic location. Based on these findings, the IESO recommended going ahead with the project. The agency said the project is overwhelmingly Ontario-made. While the reactor design originates in the US, OPG says 80 per cent of the project's sourcing is from Ontario, with only five per cent coming from US suppliers. On the issue of fuel supply, the utility says it has established a diversified supply chain to minimize risks. Gibbons called on Premier Ford to collaborate with Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has pledged to make Canada a global clean-energy leader. According to the IESO, demand in Ontario is expected to rise 75 per cent by 2050. A recent report by the Ontario Clean Air Alliance estimates that electricity from new nuclear power would cost 3.6 times more than onshore wind, three times more than solar, and 1.7 times more than offshore wind. The alliance report also highlights Ontario's untapped renewable potential — especially wind energy from the Great Lakes, which could supply more than enough clean electricity to meet future demand.
CTV News
09-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Canada could soon have G7's first small modular nuclear reactors. Here's what that means
An artist rendering of the first small modular reactor (SMR) being built in Ontario. (Source: Ontario Power Generation) For the last 15 years, there's been a lot of talk about the possibilities of small modular reactors – mini nuclear plants that could be factory built and power an industrial site or a small city. Now, Ontario is pressing ahead with a plan to build four of them – the first in the western world. 'A lot of governments are watching to see how this goes,' said Brendan Frank with the group Clean Prosperity, a non-profit. Significantly smaller in size and power output compared to a traditional nuclear plant, small modular reactors (SMRs) are based on the same science. Fission is used to generate heat, which is then used to make electricity. 'SMRs are basically shrunken down technology, about a third or quarter in size, but have many of the same principals,' said Frank. Ontario is giving the green light for Ontario Power Generation to spend $7.7 billion to build the first of the reactors and common systems for all four next to the Darlington power plant east of Toronto. The modular plant, called the BWRX 300, was designed by American based G.E. Hitachi Nuclear Energy and will be able to provide 300 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power 300,000 homes. Saskatchewan next? It's hoped the finished plant will show both the feasibility and benefits of SMRs and encourage broader adoption. Their compact size and modular design means they could be suitable for remote locations. 'The Saskatchewan government is considering the same reactor model,' said Frank. 'They're basically hinging their decision on whether to build their first nuclear reactor based on whether or not things go well in Ontario.' Nuclear reactor Canada news Construction site where four SMRs will be built generating enough electricity to power 1.2 million homes. (Source: Ontario Power Generation) Alberta, New Brunswick? Alberta and New Brunswick are also considering SMRs, and Ontario has been helping to try and export the technology to countries like Poland and Estonia. Frank says there's a global commitment to triple existing nuclear capacity by 2050.'Canada can be a huge contributor to global efforts to build out that capacity while generating jobs and growth here at home.' More than 80 Ontario companies will be involved in the construction. The plant is expected to be online by 2030. All four will cost nearly $21 billion and are scheduled to run by 2035. Ontario's government says the plants will help meet energy demands in the future which are expected to rise by 75 per cent by 2050. The province's minister of energy and mines Stephen Lecce says construction will employ 18,000 people and adds the plants should last 65 years. 'This is a bold decision we're making,' said Lecce. Tech is vulnerable to U.S. whims: critic But the project isn't without its critics. Jack Gibbons is with the Ontario Clean Air Alliance. He says an analysis by his group shows solar and wind power would be much cheaper. He also believes going with the reactor design by U.S.-based GE Hitachi is not good for national security. 'These new American reactors will require us to import enriched uranium from the United States,' said Gibbons. 'That enriched uranium could be cut off by President Trump at any moment.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Canada beats Britain in race to launch first mini-nuclear reactor in the West
Canada has approved the construction of the first mini-nuclear reactor in the West, beating Britain in the race to approve the technology. The Government of Ontario has endorsed a multibillion-dollar plan for GE Hitachi to build four small nuclear reactors (SMRs), with the first to be operational by 2029. The project will create 18,000 jobs and cost C$20.9bn (£11.3bn). The decision comes as GE Hitachi vies to build Britain's first mini-nuclear reactor, competing in a government-led competition against Britain's Rolls-Royce and US company Holtec. The UK is not expected to have its own SMR up and running until the mid-2030s. Andy Champ, GE Hitachi's UK director, said: 'The decision to proceed with construction in Canada means our BWRX-300 is the only SMR in the Western world with a contract to deploy, making us the lowest-risk choice.' Great British Nuclear (GBN) is expected to announce the winning bidders of its SMR contract this summer, with participants expected to build three to four small reactors. The competition to bring the power plants to Britain has been repeatedly delayed in what has been described as a 'tortuously slow' Whitehall process. The winning technologies was initially supposed to be chosen by late 2024, but that timeline has repeatedly slipped. The delays have led to warnings from industry that Britain risked falling behind in the global race to capitalise on the technology. Nations that award the initial contracts are likely to see factories assembled in their country, something that may not be a given as the industry evolves. Tufan Erginbilgiç, the boss of Rolls-Royce, told The Telegraph last year that Britain risked losing 'first-mover advantage'. SMRs are viewed as a key breakthrough in nuclear technology, since they can be made in factories and assembled on site, cutting the building time for a new nuclear power plant from decades to years, saving billions of pounds. GBN has advertised contracts worth £20bn in total for 'technology partners', a figure expected to be shared among two winning bids. However, that budget is expected to come under pressure from the Chancellor's cross-departmental spending review. The four Canadian reactors will provide enough clean energy for 1.2m homes and produce 1,200 megawatts (MW) of power. The government-owned Ontario Power Generation will install a GE Hitachi BWRX-300, which uses commercially available uranium to generate power. 'This is a historic day for Canada as we start construction on the first small modular reactor in the G7,' said Stephen Lecce, minister for energy. 'This nation-building project being built right here in Ontario will be led by Canadian workers using Canadian steel, concrete and materials to help deliver the extraordinary amount of reliable and clean power we will need to deliver on our ambitious plan to protect Ontario and unleash our economy.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
