GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) said it has entered into a main services agreement with AFRY, a Sweden-headquartered engineering, project management, and advisory company, to support deployment of GVH’s BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) technology in that country.
The groups on April 7 said that through what they called a non-exclusive collaboration, “AFRY will deliver engineering and advisory services that leverage its deep sector knowledge, regional expertise, and extensive presence across Europe.” The groups on Tuesday said the collaboration is expected to enable Sweden-based industries to participate in opportunities linked to what they called a growing European and global SMR market.
“This agreement reflects our commitment to building a strong Swedish and European industrial ecosystem around the BWRX-300, going beyond reactor technology to enable long-term collaboration, local capability development and regional value creation,” said Jason Cooper, CEO, GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy. “Sweden has a strong industrial base and world-class engineering capabilities, and by working with AFRY we are reinforcing our ability to deliver the BWRX-300 while enabling local industry to play a meaningful role in Europe’s energy transition.”
Elon Hägg, EVP and head of Global Division Energy at AFRY, said, “Through the collaboration with GE Vernova Hitachi, we aim to help position Sweden as a key hub in the future SMR value chain as well as advancing Sweden’s nuclear power program. This collaboration connects local expertise with international reach and supports the delivery of reliable, low-carbon energy solutions.”
The collaboration combines GVH’s proven BWRX-300 technology and global project experience with AFRY’s sector-engineering strength. It is designed to support efficient, repeatable, and scalable deployment across multiple projects in Europe. AFRY, in addition to engineering work, also will support GVH in the development of a license application for the BWRX-300 to the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority.
The first BWRX-300 is under construction at Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington site in Canada, with completion expected by the end of the decade. That timeline would make the Darlington location home to the first SMR in the Western world. GVH said that key components, such as the reactor pressure vessel, are being manufactured, and site construction is progressing according to plan. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has accepted and is reviewing Tennessee Valley Authority’s application to construct the first BWRX-300 in the U.S. at the utility’s Clinch River site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
GE Vernova’s Nuclear energy business, through its global alliance with Hitachi Ltd., provides nuclear services and advanced nuclear reactor designs. Technologies include boiling water reactors and SMRs such as the BWRX-300, which is considered one of the simplest but also most innovative boiling water reactor designs. GE Vernova’s Nuclear fuel business, Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF), is a supplier of boiling water reactor fuel and fuel-related engineering services. GNF is a GE Vernova-led joint venture with Hitachi, Ltd. and operates primarily through Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas, LLC in Wilmington, N.C., and Global Nuclear Fuel-Japan Co., Ltd. in Kurihama, Japan.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.
