GE Vernova’s nuclear business, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH), has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Aecon, AtkinsRéalis, Jacobs and Laing O’Rourke to support the delivery of its small modular reactor (SMR) technology in the UK.

The MoUs mark another step forward in GEH’s potential deployment of its BWRX-300 technology in the UK, as it continues to progress through Great British Nuclear’s (GBN) ongoing SMR selection competition.

Aecon is the provider of construction services, including project management, construction planning and execution in Canada for Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington New Nuclear Project while AtkinsRéalis is serving as architect and engineer for the project.

Construction at Darlington is expected to start in 2025 with commercial operation to commence by the end of 2029.

These MoUs enable GEH to leverage lessons learned from the project to enhance progress in the UK.

Additionally, GEH’s ongoing collaboration with Jacobs can help with design capabilities tailored to the UK environment while the MoU with UK-based Laing O’Rourke will see it support the development of the programme, drawing on its sector leading knowledge of modern methods of construction.

These agreements build on GEH’s previously announced collaboration with Sheffield Forgemasters to discuss how the Sheffield-based company’s forgings could help contribute to BWRX-300 deployment in the UK.

Andy Champ, GEH UK country leader, said: “Strategic relationships like these lay further foundations for the successful roll-out of our BWRX-300 technology in the UK.

“These MoUs underscore our desire to work closely with the UK nuclear supply chain as the SMR competition progresses, which can play a key role in helping Britain become a clean energy superpower.

“Given our BWRX-300 reactor is planned for deployment in Canada, collaborating with best-in-class experts across the industry puts us in an even stronger position to reliably deliver this technology for the best value for money. It also furthers our confidence in our ability to work with Great British Nuclear to bring our SMR technology to market.”

The Small Modular Reactor (SMR) competition is part of the government’s plan to revive nuclear power and for the UK to lead the global race to develop cutting-edge technologies to rapidly deliver cleaner, cheaper energy and greater energy security.

Joe St Julian, president, nuclear at AtkinsRéalis, said: “AtkinsRéalis has been working closely with GEH and our partners at Darlington to deliver the first commercial, land-based SMR in the western world.

“As a global partner to GEH, we look forward to leveraging our experience at Darlington and bringing our broader knowledge and experience in new nuclear build programmes to ensure GEH’s nth-of-a-kind UK project delivers efficiently and safely to support UK government’s aspirations of 24GWs of nuclear before 2050.”

Building on a long history in the UK, GE Vernova has a significant local footprint with four manufacturing facilities and more than 30% 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 earlier this year, which was attended by more than 150 UK businesses.

In January GEH received a £33.6m 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.