BWXT Canada Ltd, a subsidiary of BWX Technologies has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Westinghouse Electric Company to support nuclear newbuild projects in Canada and globally. Under the agreement, BWXT has the potential to manufacture key reactor components, including steam generators, reactor vessels, pressure vessels and heat exchangers for Westinghouse AP1000 and AP300 reactor designs.
“This partnership will expand the power of clean energy around the globe,” said John MacQuarrie, president of BWXT Commercial Operations. “In addition to our highly-skilled Canadian workforce and decades of experience, we have unmatched manufacturing capabilities that will help bring Westinghouse’s designs to life, supplying the world with the carbon-free energy it needs for decades to come.”
“BWXT Canada is a leading supply chain partner that will help us deliver North America’s next AP1000 project on time and on budget,” said Westinghouse Energy Systems President Dan Lipman. “In addition, we see them as a key player supporting global AP1000 and AP300 projects, which will benefit the Canadian economy by employing local trades and creating jobs in Canada.”
“Canada is home to one of the strongest nuclear supply chains in the Western world, that when combined with the US supply chain, provides a powerful platform to deliver new nuclear generation quickly to North America,” said John Gorman, President of Westinghouse Canada. “By taking advantage of our combined presence in both Canada and the US, Westinghouse and BWXT will work together to further strengthen both nations’ capacity to promote and build cost-effective nuclear solutions at home and abroad.”
Westinghouse, owned by Canada’s Brookfield (51%) and Cameco (49%), has proposed a four-unit AP1000 pressurised water reactor (PWR) facility in Canada, which it says would support CAD28.7bn ($20bn) in GDP during construction and CAD8.1bn in GDP annually in ongoing operations as well as creating 12,000 high-quality full-time Canadian. However, all of Canada’s operating NPPs are Candu pressurised heavy water reactors.
BWXT Canada has over 60 years of expertise and experience in the designing, manufacturing, commissioning, and servicing nuclear power generation equipment. It has supplied over 305 Candu and PWR steam generators worldwide – in addition to nuclear fuel and fuel components, critical plant components, parts and related plant services. Headquartered in Cambridge, Ontario, BWXT Canada has approximately 1290 employees, who work at locations including Cambridge, Peterborough, Port Elgin, Pickering, Toronto, Arnprior and Oakville, Ontario.
Earlier in December Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe received a letter of intent from Export Development Canada, for up to CAD2.02bn to potentially support Poland’s first NPP project, which is planned to feature AP1000 reactors.
