Idaho Lab Opens Its DOME Nuclear Test Bed

• Idaho Lab Opens Its DOME Nuclear Test Bed
• Antares Gets Approval from DOE for its Documented Safety Analysis
• NRC Opens the Door to Streamlined Commercial Licensing for DOE/DOW Advanced Reactors
• Fluor Signs Contract With X-Energy for Advanced Nuclear Project in Texas
• USAF Plans Microreactors for Two Key U.S. Bases by 2030
• First Criticality For Indian Fast Breeder Reactor
• ARC Clean Technology Signs Term Sheet for a 100 MW SMR in Turkey
• GE Vernova Seeks Market Share for BWRX-300 in Multiple EU Countries

Idaho Lab Opens Its DOME Nuclear Test Bed

DOME, world’s first nuclear reactor test bed, is ready for privately developed advanced reactors. The National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) test bed is open for business.

DOME, located at the Idaho National Laboratory, is a first-of-its-kind microreactor test bed that will enable rapid development, testing and demonstration of privately developed advanced nuclear reactors.

The NRIC Dome Facility at the INL Materials & Fuel Complex (MFC), formerly Argonne West, is located about 25 miles west of Idaho Falls, ID, on the vast desert exapanse of the Snake River Plain. The lab’s complex facilitgy is a testing center for advanced technologies associated with nuclear energy power systems. It is a testbed for demonstrating advanced reactors and is a nexus for the research and development of new reactor fuels and related materials.

The DOME was previously used to develop and test EBR-II, an advanced sodium cooled reactor that is a predecessor design that led to the eventual development of the Integral Fast Reactor and subsequently was the basis design of of TerraPower’s Natrium 345 MW advanced sodium cooled reactor.

DOME was developed as a hands-on demonstration pathway for industry, recognizing that the nation’s growing demand for advanced nuclear energy required a dedicated, world-class testing environment that only a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory could provide. Construction of the test bed was accelerated by nearly a year to enable industry to meet the urgent need for advanced nuclear energy in the United States.

DOME Lauched on April 8, 2026

Officials from INL and the Department of Energy gathered at the Materials and Fuels Complex at INL to officially celebrate DOME’s grand opening on April 8, 2026.

“The DOME test bed will be a cornerstone of the Department of Energy’s comprehensive strategy to re-establish U.S. leadership in advanced nuclear technologies,” said Dr. Rian Bahran, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors.

“By providing essential infrastructure for testing and validation of new reactor designs, DOME directly supports our programmatic goals, accelerating the development and deployment of innovative solutions vital for energy security and economic growth for the United States. It is a testament to our commitment to a robust nuclear future.”

“DOME represents the kind of bold and creative infrastructure investment that America’s nuclear resurgence demands,” said INL Director John Wagner. “We are accelerating the next generation of nuclear innovators from concept to demonstration at a pace the industry has not seen in decades.”

Using the DOME to Test New Reactors

Built from the repurposed Experimental Breeder Reactor-II dome, a former Argonne West reactor facility at INL, the 80-foot-diameter, 100-foot-tall test bed provides a safe, flexible and capable environment for testing experimental reactor concepts and gathering performance data.

Reactor developers will use that data to support design verification and future licensing. By offering real-world operating conditions and expert support, DOME will be albe to significantly reduce the time and cost required to deploy next-generation nuclear technologies. It is designed to host microreactor experiments generating up to 20 MWt of thermal energy.

“NRIC built this test bed to answer the need of industry to have a facility that would enable them to swiftly convert their innovative concepts into practical demonstrations,” said NRIC Director Brad Tomer.

DOME experiments will be scheduled through an annual competitive application process. The sequencing of experiments is based on several criteria, including technology readiness, fuel availability and a regulatory approval plan. Applicants will fund their testing campaigns.

Two Microreactors Slated for Testing

(WNN) INL is preparing for DOME’s inaugural experiments using nuclear fuel, this year. Radiant’s Kaleidos Demonstration Unit plans to start a year-long testing program this spring. The Westinghoused eVinci microreactors is also scheduled for testing at the DOME facility

Radiant will test the Kaleidos Development Unit to advance the company’s commercial 1.2 MWe high-temperature gas reactor design as a potential replacement for diesel generators. The electric power generator, cooling system, reactor, and shielding are all packaged in a single shipping container, facilitating rapid deployment.

Westinghouse will test the eVinci Nuclear Test Reactor to inform the development of its commercial transportable microreactor that uses advanced heat pipe technology to passively cool the reactor. The eVinci reactor is designed to produce 5 MWe on sites as small as two acres of land and could be used to power various applications from remote communities to mining operations or data centres. The eVinci test reactor is a scaled-down 3 MWt version.

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Antares Gets Approval from DOE for its Documented Safety Analysis

• Milestone places Antares in the final phase before DOE Startup Approval and first criticality
• The advanced nuclear energy company Antares received U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) approval of the Documented Safety Analysis for its Mark-0 reactor under DOE standard 1271.
• This approval follows Antares’ Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis approval in January 2026. This milestone reflects DOE’s acceptance of the final design for the Mark-0 reactor and the safety case supporting it.

Antares Nuclear now begins the DOE Readiness Review process, the final phase before the DOE approves the startup of our reactor pilot. Antares remains on track to go critical ahead of July 4, 2026.

“We are entering the final innings, and that’s incredibly exciting,” said Jordan Bramble, CEO and founder of Antares.

“Getting here was only possible with strong support from our partners at Idaho National Laboratory and BWXT, and leadership at DOE, along with relentless work from the Antares team.”

“We developed this timeline in 2023, and we have hit every milestone since,” said Bramble. “This is a clear sign that we are proving our safety basis every step of the way, and I’m proud of the way this team has cleared key checkpoints, on schedule, again and again.”

“The Department of Energy is pleased to see Antares reach this important milestone,” said Rian Bahran, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Reactors.

The Mark-0 demonstration will validate reactor physics, neutronics models, and the instrumentation and control system that will also be used in the Mark-1 electricity-producing reactor planned for 2027. Fuel fabrication for the company’s first reactors has been underway through BWX Technologies since October 2025, using HALEU fuel secured through a DOE allocation. BWX Technologies told World Nuclear News in February that its TRISO nuclear fuel for Antares Nuclear is on track for “timely completion” for the reactor demonstration planned to meet the US’s 4 July target date.

Following the Mark-0 demonstration, Antares will use the same test facility and fuel batch for its Mark-1 reactor in 2027, advancing toward initial deployments for defense and space customers in 2028.

About Antares

Antares is building compact nuclear microreactors to deliver reliable, rapidly deployable energy where it’s needed most: remote military bases, austere industrial sites, and, one day, deep space and underwater missions.

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NRC Opens the Door to Streamlined Commercial Licensing for DOE/DOW Advanced Reactors

• NRC Unveils Plans to Streamline Reactor Reviews with DOE/DOW Data

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a proposed rule to explicitly establish a pathway for leveraging design information from proven Departments of Energy or War reactor demonstrations in NRC reviews of commercial nuclear power plant applications. This approach is part of the agency’s implementation of Executive Order 14300, “Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.”

This initiative is intended to to accelerate the deployment of civilian nuclear technologies by leveraging the safety demonstrations already performed during noncommercial demonstration or defense projects.

“Once DOE or DOW thoroughly tests a reactor design and shows it operates safely, we’re going to build on that work, not repeat it,” said Jeremy Bowen, director of the NRC’s newly formed Office of Advanced Reactors. “We’re proposing changes to our regulations to make it clearer how that can be done.”

The proposed rule will enhance NRC licensing regulations, establishing a clear pathway for new reactor applicants to justify how DOE- or DOW-authorized designs meet NRC safety requirements.

Applicants would need to address any changes from the DOE- or DOW authorized design to a commercial reactor version licensed by the NRC. The NRC’s use of information from DOE or DOW technical reviews would depend on the extent to which an applicant demonstrates that the information addresses the requirements of an NRC license application.

Regulatory Framework and Amendments; DOE Secrecy Unmasked

The proposed rule introduces specific amendments to 10 CFR Parts 50 and 53. These changes allow applicants to demonstrate safety functions by referencing prior federal agency reviews, ensuring the NRC does not “start over from scratch” when another agency has performed the initial “heavy lifting.” In other words, the NRC will look for work that complies with its regulations and also for gaps in DOE / DOW reviews.

Readers may recall that in January this year DOE not only drastically reduced the scope of its nuclear reactor regulatory requirements and for environmental reviews, it also kept the changes secret from the public. It was only after a reporter from National Public Radio revealed the agency’s secret actions that the lid blew off the pot.

According to the NPR report, DOE secretly rewrote its document describing its nuclear safety rules to accelerate the development of a new generation of reactors. The overhaul centers on the DOE Reactor Pilot Program, which aims to have at least three experimental reactors achieve criticality by July 4, 2026.

It about two months for DOE to do a 180 degree turnaround to make public the changes to its regulatory reviews for the new reactors. The rules are now public on the Energy Department’s Idaho Operations Office website, located at Idaho National Laboratory, which is running the Reactor Pilot Program for the department. The website also contains standards and policy documents that were revised for the program.

However, in releasing its plan for assessing DOE/DOW reviews as part of its own safety asessments, NRC Chair Ho Nieh clarified in an interview witht the ANS Newswire that the commission will maintain strict regulatory independence. “There will be no “rubber stamping” of external work; the NRC will make and own all final technical and safety decisions”

Clearly, DOE’s actions have not been swept under the bureaucratic rug. Significant trust issues remain based on DOE’s poor judgement in attempting to keep secret its significant revisions to safety reviews for microreactors.

Developers of advanced reactors who were expecting a less rigorous ride from DOE on safety reviews, and several of them, along with two states – Texas and Utah, sued the NRC last year to make the point, will now face a process characterized by the American idiomatic phrase, “I’m from Missouri, show me!”

Implementation and Applicant Requirements

To successfully navigate this pathway, developers must meet the following requirements;

Map existing data: Applicants are required to map all work completed under the DOE or DOD to specific NRC requirements to facilitate an accelerated review. The NRC has established a pre-application process to help developers understand the differences between DOE/DOD oversight and commercial NRC licensing.

Address variables: The speed of the expedited review will depend on the project’s scope, changes in geographic location, and how well the original pilot addressed commercial needs like emergency preparedness.

Economic Impact and Public Timeline: The NRC anticipates significant cost savings for both the agency and applicants, though the extent depends on the quality of the application and the design’s adherence to NRC-specific standards.

Atomic Insights Podcast with NRC Chairman Ho Nieh

Ho Nieh, Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, visited the Atomic Show #341, for a podcast interview hosted by long time nuclear blogger Rod Adams for a wide ranging discussion about the agency. The conversationaddress the agency’s role in enabling the safe use of nuclear energy, the importance of its mission to the energy future of the United States, the benefits of having organization led by a five person commission of decision makers, and the ways in which the NRC is evolving to better serve the needs of the United States in an era of rapid technological change.

Adams spoke with Chairman Nieh spoke about the NRC’s very recent release of 10 CFR Part 53, the long-anticipated, new licensing framework whose creation was directed by the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act of 2019.

Though analysis of the final, 701-page rule is still in progress, the early returns show that it has generally succeeded in becoming a risk-informed, performance-based, technology-inclusive framework for designing and licensing new nuclear reactors.

Though the rule is still under review and the draft has not yet been made public, the Chairman Nieh described how NRC is close to completing another assigned task, this one directed by Executive Order 14300. The Commission is reconsidering the use of the linear, no threshold (LNT) radiation protection model and the associated regulatory requirement to take action to keep radiation doses as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA), even when the doses involved are already many multiples below the regulatory limit.

Key Dates for Stakeholders

The NRC plans to issue guidance to complement the regulatory changes affecting DOE/DOW reviews later and in alignment with the rulemaking process.

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Fluor Signs Contract With X-Energy for Advanced Nuclear Project in Texas

Fluor Corporation (NYSE:FLR) announced that it has entered into a contract with X-energy to support the company’s proposed advanced nuclear project at Dow’s UCC Seadrift Operations in south Texas. Under the agreement, Fluor will initially deliver Front-End Loading Stage 2 (FEL-2) services. FEL-2 focuses on project definition, strategic planning, feasibility assessment, cost control and risk mitigation. The cost of the scope of work was not reported in the firm’s press statement. The company said it would eventually appear on its financial statements.

The X-energy project proposes to develop four, 80MW small modular reactor (SMR) units to supply Dow’s Seadrift site with electricity and industrial steam, replacing aging energy and steam infrastructure. The project is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP), which accelerates the commercialization of advanced nuclear technologies through cost-shared partnerships with industry. A construction permit application was submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in March 2025 and is currently being reviewed by the agency.

X-energy was selected by the DOE in 2020 to develop, license and build its XE-100 advanced SMR and a first TRISO-X fuel fabrication facility. Since then, the company has completed engineering and preliminary reactor design, advanced development and licensing of its fuel facility in Oak Ridge, TN. The Seadrift project is expected to become the first grid-scale advanced nuclear reactor deployed to serve an industrial facility in North America.

Dow’s UCC Seadrift Operations span 4,700 acres and produce more than 4 billion pounds of materials annually for applications including food packaging, footwear, wire and cable insulation, solar cell components, and medical and pharmaceutical packaging.

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USAF Plans Microreactors for Two Key U.S. Bases by 2030

The Air & Space Forces Magazine reported on 04/10/26 that Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado and Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana could be among the first Department of the Air Force bases to be powered using small / mini nuclear reactors by the end of the decade or earlier.

The Air Force announced it, along with the Defense Innovation Unit, had selected the two bases as potential locations as part of the Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations program.

The program plans to deploy advanced nuclear microreactors, which will be owned and operated by contractors, on Air Force installations to make sure they can keep functioning even if outside power sources are cut off. The Air Force said this will strengthen national security by making sure bases have secure and reliable power, which would be more protected from cyberattacks and natural disasters than public utility grids

Nancy Balkus, the Air Force’s deputy assistant secretary for infrastructure, energy and environment, said in the statement, “By advancing the use of next-generation nuclear energy, the [Department of the Air Force] is strengthening the energy security of our power projection platforms and contributing to long-term national energy leadership.”

Buckley and Malmstrom were chosen as the top candidates for a minireactor because of their utility infrastructure, availability of land, and the critical missions the bases perform.

• Malmstrom is home of the 341st Missile Wing and operates many of the Air Force’s Minuteman III nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles.
• Buckley’s missions include providing strategic and theater missile warnings to the United States and international partners, as well as space surveillance operations and space communications missions.

The Air Force said subject matter experts from the department and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory evaluated the bases’ environment, nuclear safety, and energy integration as it considered which bases should get reactors.

The USAF said that in the coming months, each base will be paired with an ANPI nuclear vendor technology matched to that installation’s specific energy needs, with an anticipated deployment date of 2030 or earlier. The commercial operators will bear ownership and operational responsibility throughout the reactor’s lifespan — a model that shifts financial and regulatory burden away from the Air Force while still delivering reliable, off-grid power to mission-critical facilities.

According to the Air & Space Forces Magazine, the Air Force said this effort is separate from another nuclear microreactor program in the works at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. The Air Force plans to award a contract to Oklo, Inc., to develop and operate Eielson’s reactor.

In late March, the Air Force briefly posted a separate request for information seeking information from companies on their small nuclear reactor capabilities. But less than two weeks later, the Air Force had withdrawn that RFI, saying it instead decided to focus on pursuing other existing nuclear projects.

The Army has moved separately on this front as well, announcing last October that it plans to install small nuclear reactors at nine of its bases under a program called Project Janus.

Prior Coverage on this blog

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First Criticality For Indian Fast Breeder Reactor

(WNN) The initiation of a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction at the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor sees India move into the second stage of a three-stage nuclear program which ultimately aims to achieve a closed fuel cycle using the country’s abundant thorium.

The 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalkpakkam in Tamil Nadu attained first criticality on 04/06/26 according to an announcement by India’s the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). The ministry said the milestone marking “a significant step toward strengthening India’s long-term energy security and advancing its indigenous nuclear technology capabilities.”

The PFBR technology was designed and developed by the DAE’s Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR). The reactor was built and commissioned by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI), a government enterprise under the DAE.

About the Prototype Fast Reactor

The reactor is a pool type LMFBR with 1,750 tonnes of sodium as coolant. Designed to generate 500 MWe of electrical power, with an operational life of 40 years, it will burn a mixed uranium-plutonium MOX fuel, a mixture of PuO2 and UO2. A fuel burnup of 100 GWd/t is expected.

The PFBR uses uranium-plutonium mixed oxide, or MOX, fuel surrounded by a ‘blanket’ of U-238, which, through neutron absorption, is converted into fissile plutonium-239. This enables the reactor to generate more fuel than it consumes – it ‘breeds’ fuel. The PFBR is also designed to use thorium-232 in the blanket, which can be transmuted into fissile U-233.

According to press statemetns by BHAVINI, “This unique capability significantly enhances the utilization of nuclear fuel resources and enables the country to extract far greater energy from its limited uranium reserves while also preparing for large-scale use of thorium in the future.”

The Fuel Fabrication Facility (FFF), under the direction of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Tarapur is responsible for the fuel rods manufacturing. FFF comes under “Nuclear Recycle Board” of Bhabha Atomic Research Center and has been responsible for fuel rod manufacturing of various types in the past. FFF Tarapur in early 2023 had successfully completed fabrication of 100,000 PFBR fuel elements.

Construction began in 2004, with an original expected completion date of 2010. India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board officially granted permission for the First Approach to Criticality – including the loading of fuel into the reactor core and the start of low power physics experiments – in mid-2024. Last August, Minister of State Jitendra Singh told India’s parliament that delays in completion of the project had been mainly due to “first-of-a-kind technological issues” during the commissioning process.

According to a statement by BHAVINI, the attainment of first criticality “follows the successful completion of all stipulated safety requirements, with clearance granted by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) after rigorous review.”

Importance of the Fast Reactor to India’s Long Term Energy Security

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an official statement, “Today, India takes a defining step in its civil nuclear journey, advancing the second stage of its nuclear program.”

He added that the PFBR “reflects the depth of our scientific capability and the strength of our engineering enterprise. It is a decisive step towards harnessing our vast thorium reserves in the third stage of the program.”

It added that the fast breeder program “strengthens strategic capabilities in nuclear fuel cycle technologies, advanced materials, reactor physics and large-scale engineering,” and the knowledge and infrastructure developed through the program “will support future reactor designs and next-generation nuclear technologies”.

Fast breeder reactors form the second stage of India’s three-stage nuclear program, using plutonium recovered from the reprocessing of used fuel from the pressurised heavy water and light water reactors that form the first stage of the program. The third stage envisages using advanced heavy water reactors to burn thorium-plutonium fuels and breed fissile uranium-233, achieving a thorium-based closed nuclear fuel cycle.

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ARC Clean Technology Signs Term Sheet for a 100 MW SMR in Turkey

ARC Clean Technology, a developer of advanced small modular reactors, announced the signing of a term sheet with IC Nuclear & Industry (ICN), a member of IC Holding— one of Türkiye’s leading diversified investment groups— to establish the commercial framework for the deployment and development of the ARC-100, a sodium-cooled advanced nuclear reactor, in Türkiye and the region.

The collaboration supports ICN’s active role in Türkiye’s Domestic Nuclear Reactor Development Project announced by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, while establishing a comprehensive framework for advanced nuclear deployment in the country.

In line with Türkiye’s energy infrastructure and industrial priorities, reactor design adaptation, engineering development, and local integration activities will be shaped under the leadership of ICN. In parallel, the parties aim to develop a Türkiye-based commercialization strategy, positioning Türkiye as a regional hub for advanced nuclear solutions and enabling their long-term commercialization and broader regional deployment.

The cooperation framework includes joint technical, economic, and regulatory feasibility studies for the deployment of the ARC-100 in Türkiye, as well as the development of a long-term commercialization and industrialization roadmap for advanced nuclear technologies. Having reached consensus on the principal commercial terms, the parties intend to negotiate definitive agreements governing technology licensing, engineering collaboration, and project implementation.

“The ARC-100 represents a highly compelling advanced nuclear technology with significant potential to support Türkiye’s clean energy transition, industrial competitiveness, and long-term energy security,” said Murad Bayar, Chairman of the Board of ICN.

“Against the backdrop of deepening U.S.–Türkiye cooperation in civil nuclear energy, our collaboration with ARC Clean Technology creates a strategic platform to assess how next-generation nuclear solutions can be adapted to Türkiye’s needs, strengthen domestic engineering and industrial capabilities, and contribute to sustainable economic growth.”

“ARC is extremely excited to begin this collaboration with IC Nuclear & Industry to explore deployment opportunities for the ARC-100 in Türkiye,” said James Wolf, Chief Executive Officer of ARC Clean Technology. “This collaboration is an important step in ARC’s global market strategy, as we work with leading partners to deploy advanced nuclear solutions internationally.”

The timing of the agreement aligns with deepening cooperation between the United States and Türkiye in the field of civil nuclear energy, including the 2025 U.S.–Türkiye nuclear cooperation agreement, which establishes a framework for expanded collaboration on advanced nuclear technologies, energy security, and the clean energy transition.

About ARC Clean Technology

ARC Clean Technology Inc. is a U.S. clean energy technology company developing the ARC-100, an advanced small modular reactor offering safe, reliable, and economical carbon-free power. Leveraging proven technology from the 30-year performance of its prototype, the ARC-100’s modular design provides 100 MW of energy for electricity, industrial applications and the rapidly growing demand for AI data centers.

A license to prepare site application for commercial demonstration of the ARC reactor in New Brunswick, Canada was submitted to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in 2023. ARC is also a participant in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP), supporting accelerated SMR development. The ARC100 completed the CNSC preliminary vendor design review process in July 2025.

Prior Coverage on this Blog

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GE Vernova Seeks Market Share for BWRX-300 in Multiple EU Countries

• GE Vernova Hitachi, Sweden’s AFRY to collaborate on SMR deployment
• Polish EPC Firms Ink Multiple MOUs for BWRX300 Development in Eastern Europe

(WNN) Through the Main Services Agreement with GE Vernova Sweden’s AFRY will deliver engineering and advisory services that leverage its sector knowledge, regional expertise and extensive presence across Europe. The collaboration is expected to enable Swedish industries to participate in high-value opportunities linked to the growing European and global small modular reactor (SMR) market.

By combining GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s (GVH’s) proven BWRX-300 technology and global project experience with AFRY’s sector-engineering strength, the collaboration is designed to support efficient, repeatable, and scalable deployment across multiple projects in Europe. In addition to engineering work, AFRY will also support GVH in the development of a licence application for the BWRX-300 to the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM).

“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 GVH CEO Jason Cooper. “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.”

“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 programme,” said Elon Hägg, EVP and Head of Global Division Energy at AFRY. “This collaboration connects local expertise with international reach and supports the delivery of reliable, low-carbon energy solutions.”

In March 2022, Swedish SMR project development company Kärnfull Next signed a memorandum of understanding with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy on the deployment of its BWRX-300 in Sweden.

The Swedish government received an application for state aid in December to support proposals for either five GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 reactors or three Rolls-Royce SMRs to provide about 1,500 MW capacity at Ringhals on the Värö Peninsula. The application came from Videberg Kraft AB, a project company owned by Vattenfall AB and backed by a series of industrial firms via the Industrikraft i Sverige AB consortium.

The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GVH’s US Nuclear Regulatory Commission-certified ESBWR boiling water reactor design and its existing, licensed GNF2 fuel design. GVH’s first BWRX-300 is under construction at Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington site in Canada, with completion expected by the end of the decade.

Polish EPC Firms Target Multiple Eastern European Countries for the BWRX300

Poland’s SGE, construction engineering firm Polimex Mostostal and engineering consultant ATEC Group signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on the development and deployment of BWRX-300 small modular reactors in Central and Eastern Europe. SGE – part of the MS Galleon Group – is a co-investor in the standard design for the BWRX-300 and is in the process of establishing SMR partnerships and projects in a number of Central and Eastern European countries, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.

In October last year, GVH and South Korea’s Samsung C&T formed a strategic alliance to advance the deployment of BWRX-300 SMRs in strategic global markets outside North America, with a focus on developing the supply chain and project delivery solutions.