GE Vernova’s nuclear business accelerates UK Small Modular Reactor deployment with MoUs

GE Vernova’s nuclear business, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH), has signed another series of Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with two major UK nuclear engineering firms - Boccard and Cavendish Nuclear.

These MoUs signal GEH’s intent to work more closely with suppliers in the UK, leveraging their industry-leading expertise in the construction and delivery of nuclear power plants in order to advance the development and operation of GEH’s BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor (SMR) as it continues to progress through Great British Nuclear’s (GBN) ongoing SMR selection competition. This builds on GEH’s previously announced MoU collaborations with Aecon, AtkinsRéalis, Jacobs and Laing O’Rourke.

Andy Champ, GE Hitachi UK Country Lead, said: “These MoUs with Boccard and Cavendish Nuclear strengthen our commitment to working with the UK nuclear supply chain to deliver our BWRX-300 SMR technology in the UK. We are proud to be working alongside these industry-leading companies, demonstrating our dedication to providing the UK with scalable, cost-effective clean energy solutions.

“By combining their expertise with our extensive experience working in partnership with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) on the Darlington project in Canada, we're well positioned to reliably deliver this technology for the best value for money. We look forward to continuing our work with both the supply chain and GBN to make nuclear energy a key enabler of Britain's clean energy future.”

Douglas McQueen, Managing Director, Boccard UK, said: “Boccard UK welcome the announcement regarding to the signing of this MOU with GE Vernova. Our state-of-the-art UK fully digitalised nuclear manufacturing facility in North Wales supported by our engineering and project management teams will bring exceptional levels of quality and value to the Nuclear New Build program. Our Digital Manufacturing controls delivered via our bespoke software “BocTrack ®”, will deliver a faster route to commercial market, not only SMRs, but also GW Generating stations which are pivotal to the UK’s major decarbonising program. We look forward to the ongoing collaboration with GE Vernova at this exiting time in the energy sector.”

Mick Gornall, Cavendish Nuclear Managing Director, said: “Cavendish Nuclear is delighted to continue to deepen our relationship with GEH; building on our current manufacturing studies to underpin credible UK supply chain options for the Reactor Pressure Vessel and other key components.”

The MoU with Cavendish Nuclear, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Babcock International, will build upon work on advanced manufacturing and operational readiness being delivered under the UK Government’s Future Nuclear Enabling Fund while also building on the existing relationship GEH has with Cavendish Nuclear in support of the regulatory approval of the BWRX-300 through the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process.

GEH and OPG are developing the first BWRX-300 at OPG’s Darlington site near Toronto which is anticipated to be the first commercial SMR in the G7. Early site preparation work has been completed, with construction of the first unit expected to start later this year, pending regulatory approval, and commercial operation expected to commence by the end of 2029. A total of four 300 MW units are planned for the Darlington site.

Building on a long and deep history in the UK, GE Vernova has a significant local footprint with four manufacturing facilities and more than 30 percent of the country’s electricity currently powered by its technology. GEH is committed to developing a robust UK supply chain for its BWRX-300 deployment having held a SMR supply chain conference in Sheffield in April 2024, which was attended by over 150 UK businesses.

Separately, in January 2024 GEH received a £33.6 million Future Nuclear Enabling Fund (FNEF) grant from the UK Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ). In conjunction with the awarding of this grant, GEH entered the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process for the BWRX-300.