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

Comprehensive energy news coverage, updated nonstop

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access • Archives included • Professional invoice

OTHER ACCESS OPTIONS

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

FREE ACCOUNT

3 articles offered per month

FREE

*Prices are excluding VAT, which may vary depending on your location or professional status

Since 2021: 35,000 articles • 150+ analyses per week

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 Idaho National Laboratory has started irradiation testing on uranium-zirconium fuel samples from Lightbridge in its experimental reactor, marking a key step toward the industrial validation of advanced nuclear fuel.
NexGen Energy has opened Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission hearings for the final approval of its Rook I uranium project, following more than six years of regulatory process.
Oklo has signed a binding agreement with Siemens Energy to accelerate manufacturing of the energy conversion system for its first advanced nuclear power plant in the United States.
A security document handling incident at the nuclear power plant renews concerns about TEPCO as a key decision on restarting reactors 6 and 7 approaches in Niigata.
An initial civil nuclear cooperation agreement was signed between the United States and Saudi Arabia, prompting calls from the US Congress for strict safeguards to prevent a Middle East arms race.
The launch of the Zhaoyuan nuclear project anchors the Hualong One model inland, illustrating Beijing’s strategy of regulatory normalisation in response to Western technological restrictions.
TRISO-X has started above-ground works on the first U.S. facility dedicated to manufacturing fuel for small modular reactors, marking a key industrial milestone in the deployment of the Xe-100.
The first Russian test rig for the experimental ITER reactor has been delivered to the site in France, marking a major milestone in the international collaboration on nuclear fusion.
A strategic report reveals the industrial and energy potential of Allseas’ offshore small modular reactor, which could create up to 40,000 jobs and reduce investment in the power grid.
Canadian firm Aecon and private developer Norsk Kjernekraft have signed a strategic agreement targeting the deployment of BWRX-300 small modular reactors across several potential locations in Norway.
The South African government has officially lifted the PBMR reactor out of inactivity, launching a public investment programme and transferring the strategic nuclear asset from Eskom to Necsa.
The French Court of Auditors values EDF’s grand carénage at over €100bn, while EPR2 reactors already exceed €67–75bn. The State simultaneously directs regulation, financing, and industrial strategy, raising the risk of conflict of interest.
Belarus commits major public investment to add a third reactor at the Ostrovets plant and initiates studies for a second nuclear site to support national energy demand.
Framatome’s accident-tolerant fuel prototype has completed a second 24-month cycle in a commercial nuclear reactor in the United States, paving the way for a third phase of industrial testing.
The Wylfa site in Wales will host three Rolls-Royce small modular reactors from 2026, marking a strategic investment in the UK’s nuclear expansion.
EDF confirmed that the Flamanville EPR has reached a major milestone, while planning a nearly year-long shutdown in 2026 for extensive regulatory inspections and key component replacement.
EDF is opening access to its long-term nuclear supply contracts to companies consuming more than 7 GWh per year, an adjustment driven by the gradual end of the Arenh mechanism.
South Korean authorities have approved the continued operation of the Kori 2 reactor for an additional eight years, marking a key milestone in the national nuclear strategy.
A public-private consortium is developing a 5 MW thermal microreactor designed to operate without refuelling for ten years, marking a strategic step in Brazil's nuclear innovation efforts.
EDF has announced that the Flamanville EPR reactor is now operating at 80% of its capacity. The target of reaching full output by the end of autumn remains confirmed by the utility.

All the latest energy news, all the time

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access - Archives included - Pro invoice

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

*Prices shown are exclusive of VAT, which may vary according to your location or professional status.

Since 2021: 30,000 articles - +150 analyses/week.