Westinghouse Electric Company and Finland’s Fortum today announced the signing of Memoranda of Understanding to study the possibilities for the development and deployment of AP1000 and AP300 reactor projects in Finland and Sweden. The MOUs establish a framework of collaboration for detailed technical and commercial discussions and explore cooperation on the next steps to implement Westinghouse reactor technologies in both countries.
“At Fortum, our strategic priorities are to deliver reliable clean energy and drive decarbonization in industries in the Nordics. We are excited to extend our cooperation and explore the potential and prerequisites for new nuclear in Finland and Sweden with Westinghouse Electric Company,” said Petra Lundstrom, Executive Vice President, Nuclear Generation at Fortum.
“Fortum is a leader in providing safe, clean and reliable nuclear energy for the people of Finland and Sweden, as well as an important customer for our fuels and services businesses supporting Fortum’s existing operating plants,” said David Durham, President of Westinghouse Energy Systems. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Fortum to bring our proven and industry-leading, advanced passive safety nuclear technology to the Nordic region, delivering added energy security for many generations to come.”
The AP1000 reactor and AP300 small modu=lar reactor (SMR) share the same design and licensing methodologies, same passive safety system, same supply chain, same I&C, and same load follow capabilities which will facilitate and expedite their installations at sites.
The AP1000 is the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and has the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. In the United States at the Vogtle site, one AP1000 unit recently began producing power for the grid while a second unit prepares for initial fuel load. Four AP1000 reactors are currently setting operational performance and availability records in China with six additional reactors under construction there. Poland selected the AP1000 technology for its first-ever nuclear energy program while Ukraine is committed to developing nine units, and the technology is under consideration at multiple other sites in Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, and in the United States.
Westinghouse launched the AP300 SMR last month, a 300-MWe single-loop pressurized water reactor that is based on the proven, licensed AP1000 technology. The AP300 SMR is the only small modular reactor based on an Nth-of-a-kind operating reactor. Westinghouse is targeting design certification for the AP300 SMR by 2027 and for construction to begin by 2030. The first operating unit would be available in 2033.
