Wednesday, June 25, 2025
GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) announced plans to establish a cutting-edge Canadian BWRX-300 Engineering and Service Centre in Durham region near the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Darlington New Nuclear Project site.
GVH intends to invest up to $70-million on the facility, pending further development and construction of three additional units at the Darlington New Nuclear Project site.
The announcement follows the Ontario government’s approval to proceed with construction of the first of four BWRX-300s at the Darlington site, making Ontario the first jurisdiction in the G7 to approve construction of a grid-scale SMR. Construction of the first unit is scheduled to be completed by the end of the decade.
“Ontario is proud to lead the world in next-generation nuclear innovation, creating good-paying local jobs, training thousands of skilled workers and delivering clean, reliable power for decades to come,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines. “By locking in this investment from GE Vernova we are reinforcing our plan to make Ontario a clean energy superpower where our workers build with Canadian materials, operate with Canadian expertise and export the clean technology the world needs.”
The planned engineering and service centre will include a state-of-the-art virtual reality simulator and provide training capabilities to support safe and efficient SMR refueling and maintenance evolutions. The facility will develop advanced maintenance and inspection technologies tailored to the simpler SMR units and serve as an outage planning and execution preparation center for BWRX-300 reactors.
Plans call for the engineering and service centre to be operational by the end of 2027 to support the deployment and servicing of a fleet of BWRX-300s. In addition to its nuclear business, the centre will have the capability to support other GE Vernova businesses, bringing further economic benefits to the Durham region. This centre will complement GVH’s operations in Wilmington, N.C.
“The Canadian BWRX-300 Engineering and Service Centre will bolster Ontario’s position as a nuclear leader and further cultivate Canada’s nuclear energy workforce with an industry-leading training ecosystem,” said Heather Chalmers, president and CEO, GE Vernova Canada. “This Ontario-based hub will provide the province with continued access to the best and brightest talent and innovation in the nuclear energy industry while complementing global efforts for deploying the BWRX-300.”
The Ontario government is supporting OPG’s $20.9 billion budget for the Darlington New Nuclear Project, which includes site preparation, engineering and design work to date, as well as the construction of all four SMRs.
“Locating this engineering and service centre in Durham Region is a clear example of how the DNNP is driving investment and economic impact in Ontario and provides an opportunity to showcase OPG’s leadership in nuclear power generation. This centre will attract people from jurisdictions around the world as others adopt SMR technology,” said Nicolle Butcher, president and CEO, Ontario Power Generation.
Featured image: (GE Vernova Hitachi)
