Saskatchewan plans to integrate Westinghouse reactor technology

Saskatchewan Power Corporation and Westinghouse Electric Company are evaluating the potential deployment of Westinghouse reactor technology to meet the province's future clean energy needs.

Share:

Westinghouse Saskatchewan reactor technology

Gain full professional access to energynews.pro from 4.90€/month.
Designed for decision-makers, with no long-term commitment.

Over 30,000 articles published since 2021.
150 new market analyses every week to decode global energy trends.

Monthly Digital PRO PASS

Immediate Access
4.90€/month*

No commitment – cancel anytime, activation in 2 minutes.

*Special launch offer: 1st month at the indicated price, then 14.90 €/month, no long-term commitment.

Annual Digital PRO Pass

Full Annual Access
99€/year*

To access all of energynews.pro without any limits

*Introductory annual price for year one, automatically renewed at 149.00 €/year from the second year.

Saskatchewan Power Corporation, Westinghouse Electric Company and Cameco Corporation have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore technical and commercial avenues for the deployment of Westinghouse reactor technology, including the AP1000 Advanced Reactor and the AP300 Small Modular Reactor (SMR). This collaboration also includes the assessment of a nuclear supply chain to support nuclear energy projects, including fuel, and identifies opportunities for research, development and workforce training in partnership with Saskatchewan post-secondary institutions. Westinghouse once again opts to collaborate with another company, similar to its partnership with Bechtel in Poland.

Background and government support

In 2019, the Saskatchewan government has identified the development of SMR technology as a growth target. In August 2023, the Canadian government approved up to CAD 74 million in federal funding for SMR development in the province, led by SaskPower. The company expects to make a final investment decision in 2029, and intends to use Saskatchewan-produced uranium for any reactor built in the province. By 2022, SaskPower had selected GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s BWRX-300 SMR for potential deployment in the 2030s after an evaluation of three SMR technologies. This selection was intended to facilitate a pan-Canadian approach based on a fleet of SMRs, thereby reducing regulatory, construction and operating risks.

AP300 technology development

Westinghouse reactor technology had not been included in SaskPower’s earlier evaluation, which took place prior to the May 2023 launch of the AP300 SMR. This design is based on AP1000 technology, already licensed and in operation. Westinghouse is one of six SMR suppliers shortlisted in October 2023 for UK government support, and has signed an agreement to build four AP300 units in the UK.

Outlook and regional commitment

Rupen Pandya, President and CEO of SaskPower, said the collaboration on nuclear fuel supply and the evaluation of various technologies will strengthen SMR’s development work and the company’s future planning. Patrick Fragman, President and CEO of Westinghouse, emphasized the superior economic performance and proven availability of the AP1000 reactors, as well as the AP300, based on this proven and licensed technology. Tim Gitzel, President and CEO of Cameco, added that decarbonizing Saskatchewan’s power grid is an ambitious and important future goal for the province. Cameco, one of the world’s largest nuclear fuel suppliers, acquired Westinghouse in 2023 in strategic partnership with Brookfield Asset Management and its affiliates. SaskPower has identified two potential sites for an SMR power plant in the Estevan region, in the southeast of the province, where detailed site analyses will begin before final site selection in 2025.

The French Energy Regulatory Commission outlines a structured plan to accelerate the deployment of small modular reactors, focusing on industrial heat and series effects to enhance competitiveness.
US-based Nuclearn has secured $10.5mn to scale its artificial intelligence platform, already deployed in over 65 nuclear reactors, to automate critical operations amid rising energy demand.
The steel dome of the CAP1000 Haiyang 4 reactor has been positioned, a major construction milestone paving the way for upcoming maintenance and technical installation phases.
The Groupement des Industriels Français de l'Énergie Nucléaire and the Belgian Nuclear Forum formalise a partnership aimed at strengthening industrial exchanges and joint projects between the two countries’ nuclear sectors.
The International Atomic Energy Agency warns that little time remains to reach an agreement with Iran on fully resuming inspections, as European sanctions could be reimposed within 30 days.
Slovenia’s JEK2 project moves forward with two nuclear technologies judged technically compatible, estimated between EUR9.31bn ($10.1bn) and EUR15.37bn ($16.66bn).
US-based Oklo will build the country’s first privately funded nuclear fuel recycling centre in Oak Ridge, investing $1.7bn and creating over 800 jobs.
The Tennessee Valley Authority partners with ENTRA1 Energy to develop up to 6 gigawatts of modular nuclear capacity, in an unprecedented project supporting energy growth across seven U.S. states.
A report by the International Atomic Energy Agency puts Iran’s 60% enriched uranium at 440.9 kg before Israeli and U.S. strikes, while the agency’s access to enrichment sites has remained suspended since the operations.
US-based Westinghouse has signed six industrial agreements in the UK to supply critical components for its AP1000 and AP300 nuclear projects in Britain and abroad.
NANO Nuclear Energy receives direct funding from the US Air Force innovation branch to assess the integration of its KRONOS MMRâ„¢ microreactor at the Washington D.C. military base.
EDF extends the operation of Heysham 1 and Hartlepool by one year after favourable safety inspections, ensuring continuity of nuclear production and safeguarding more than 1,000 jobs.
Russian nuclear group Rosatom has confirmed advanced discussions with India and Turkey to launch new power plants, including advanced and floating reactor technologies.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has identified uranium particles of industrial origin in samples taken from a Syrian site suspected of hosting an undeclared nuclear reactor.
Norwegian authorities begin the first regulatory phase for two modular nuclear reactor projects, marking a strategic step in the national review of the potential role of nuclear energy in the country’s power mix.
With eleven reactors under construction and major projects such as Jaitapur, India is preparing a nuclear build-up that could place it among the world’s five leading nations in the sector.
France and Germany have validated a joint energy roadmap, including a commitment to the non-discrimination of nuclear energy in European financing.
Russia and Iran seek to strengthen their nuclear cooperation as the E3 activates the sanctions mechanism against Tehran, reigniting tensions over compliance with the 2015 Vienna agreement.
US-based Natura Resources has secured strategic funding and key permits for its MSR-1 nuclear reactor, backed by public funds and enriched fuel allocation from the Department of Energy.
The United States and South Korea have agreed to initiate discussions on reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, marking a potential strategic shift in the long-standing bilateral agreement.

Log in to read this article

You'll also have access to a selection of our best content.