Nuclear

Curtiss-Wright, Westinghouse sign agreement aimed at Canadian nuclear deployments

The MoU leverages Curtiss-Wright’s portfolio of nuclear power equipment, technology and services to complement Westinghouse’s resources in new build opportunities.
Curtiss-Wright, Westinghouse sign agreement aimed at Canadian nuclear deployments
The AP300 Small Modular Reactor (Photo: Business Wire)

Curtiss-Wright’s Nuclear Division and Westinghouse announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support AP1000 and AP300 projects in Canada.

The MoU leverages Curtiss-Wright’s portfolio of nuclear power equipment, technology and services to complement Westinghouse’s resources in new build opportunities.

“Building on our heritage as a global supplier of nuclear reactor technologies, we are pleased to announce this relationship with Westinghouse as they continue to advance their AP1000 and AP300 reactor technologies in Canada and around the world,” said Kurt Mitchell, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Curtiss-Wright’s Nuclear Division. “This MoU underscores Curtiss-Wright’s commitment to helping to de-carbonize the existing energy infrastructure through the creation of clean, reliable, and affordable energy, while delivering innovative, safety-critical solutions to our customers.”

The AP300, a single-loop pressurized water reactor launched in 2023, is a 300 MW small modular reactor (SMR) with a design based on the AP1000 reactor. Westinghouse said the AP300 SMR is an “ultra-compact, modular-constructed unit.” It will use identical AP1000 technology, to include major equipment, structural components, passive safety, fuel, and I&C systems. The reactor is expected to benefit from a mature supply chain, constructability lessons learned, fast load-follow capabilities and proven O&M procedures and best practices from 18 reactor years of AP1000 operations, a prior press release said. 

The AP300 is designed to operate for an 80+ year life cycle, and uses Gen III+ advanced technology, which has regulatory approval in the U.S., Great Britain and China, as well as compliance with European Utility Requirements standards for nuclear power plants. The company said the design will be marketed to the utility, oil & gas and industrial sectors. Design certification is anticipated by 2027, followed by site specific licensing and construction on the first unit toward the end of the decade. 

Late last year, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Westinghouse signed a MOU establishing a framework for the two organizations to identify potential areas of cooperation for the deployment of nuclear technologies.

Under the MOU, the companies will seek to explore potential commercial opportunities for Westinghouse’s AP1000, AP300 and eVinci reactor technologies; investigate licensing and regulatory pathways for new nuclear projects in Canada; and examine other potential areas for collaboration in the new-build market.