[Press Release] February 8, 2023—The GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) has been selected by Fermi Energia for potential deployment in Estonia.
“We are honoured that Fermi Energia has selected our small modular reactor technology to help Estonia fulfil its energy security and climate goals,” said Jay Wileman, President & CEO of GEH. “This technology selection further validates the BWRX-300 as the leading SMR solution. By leveraging a unique combination of existing fuel, plant simplifications, proven components and a design based on an already licensed reactor, the BWRX-300 offers cost-competitive, zero carbon emission generation in a meaningful timeframe.”
Fermi Energia is a privately-held company that was “formed to develop the possibility of introducing a new generation small modular reactor in Estonia.” GEH is one of three technology providers that reached the final round of Fermi Energia’s technology selection process.
GEH and Fermi Energia had worked together since 2019 when an agreement was reached to collaborate on potential deployment applications for the BWRX-300. The collaboration advanced in 2021 when the two parties entered into a teaming agreement to work together in critical areas, including licensing support and supply chain development.
The technology selection by Fermi Energia is the latest development involving the BWRX-300. In January 2023, it was announced that GEH, Ontario Power Generation (OPG), SNC-Lavalin and Aecon had signed a contract to deploy a BWRX-300 SMR at OPG’s Darlington New Nuclear Project site.
In August 2022, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) began planning and preliminary licensing for the potential deployment of a BWRX-300 at the Clinch River Site near Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
In June 2022, SaskPower announced that it selected the BWRX-300 for potential deployment in Saskatchewan in the mid-2030s. In Poland, ORLEN Synthos Green Energy (OSGE) and its partners started the pre-licensing process by submitting an application to Poland’s National Atomic Energy Agency for assessment of the BWRX-300. OSGE plans to deploy a fleet of BWRX-300s with the potential to deploy the first of those units by the end of this decade. To support the global deployment of the BWRX-300, GEH has memoranda of understanding or other agreements in place with companies in Canada, the Czech Republic, Poland, the U.K., the U.S. and Sweden, among others. GEH has also begun the design certification process for the BWRX-300 in the U.K.
Advanced nuclear technologies like the BWRX-300 are vital to GEH’s energy transition leadership. In addition to helping customers achieve decarbonization goals, the BWRX-300 is designed to reduce construction and operating costs below other nuclear power generation technologies.