GE Vernova (NYSE:GEV) Hitachi Nuclear Energy has entered into a Main Services Agreement with Swedish engineering and project management group AFRY to support the rollout of its BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) technology across Europe.
The non-exclusive partnership will see AFRY provide engineering and advisory services, drawing on its regional expertise and strong presence across European markets. The collaboration is also intended to create opportunities for Swedish companies to take part in the expanding European and global SMR supply chain.
“This agreement reflects our commitment to building a strong Swedish and European industrial ecosystem around the BWRX-300,” said Jason Cooper, CEO of GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy. The initiative is expected to help strengthen local industrial capabilities and generate broader regional value beyond the reactor technology itself.
As part of the agreement, AFRY will assist GE Vernova Hitachi with preparing a license application for the BWRX-300 to be submitted to the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority. The firm will also provide engineering support aimed at facilitating efficient deployment of the technology across multiple European projects.
Construction of the first BWRX-300 reactor is already underway at Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington site in Canada, with the project scheduled for completion before the end of the decade. Major components, including the reactor pressure vessel, are currently being manufactured, while on-site construction is progressing according to schedule.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has accepted an application from the Tennessee Valley Authority to build the first BWRX-300 reactor in the United States at the Clinch River site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. That application is currently undergoing regulatory review.
GE Vernova (GEV) develops and deploys small modular reactor technology globally through its nuclear energy joint venture with Hitachi.