Westinghouse and U.S. government partner to expand nuclear energy
Westinghouse Electric Company entered a partnership with the United States government in late October, aimed to “accelerate the deployment of nuclear power” within the U.S., according to a release from the company.
The Cranberry Township-based company, alongside its parent companies Cameco Corp. and BrookField Asset Management, plans to build $80 billion worth of new nuclear reactors within the U.S., as the race for more power sources charges on.
“This historic partnership with America’s leading nuclear company will help unleash President (Donald) Trump’s grand vision to fully energize America and win the global AI race,” said Chris Wright, secretary for the United States Department of Energy. “President Trump promised a renaissance of nuclear power, and now he is delivering.”
According to the release from late October, the partnership will deploy Westinghouse’s AP1000 reactors, with each two-unit site creating or sustaining roughly 45,000 manufacturing and engineering jobs in 43 states, with roughly 100,000 construction jobs.
Once constructed, the reactors will generate secure power, including for data centers and compute capacity that will help bolster America’s growth in the artificial intelligence space.
“Our highly successful partnership with Brookfield as owners of Westinghouse will be further strengthened through this collaboration with the U.S. Government,” said Tim Gitzel, CEO of Cameco. “We expect this new partnership to support the global growth opportunities for both Westinghouse’s and Cameco’s nuclear products, services and technologies, adding significant long-term value for our stakeholders and enhancing energy, national and climate security around the world.”
According to Westinghouse, there are currently six AP1000 rectors currently in operation around the world, with 14 reactors under construction and five more under contract.
Westinghouse first spoke about expanding its nuclear footprint back in July, when interim CEO Dan Sumner announced the company plans to build 10 large nuclear reactors in the U.S. with construction to begin by 2030.
The announcement was made at the first Pennsylvania Energy Summit and Expo in Pittsburgh on July 15, as the reactors would drive $75 billion of economic value across the U.S. and $6 billion in Pennsylvania, according to Sumner.
“Westinghouse today is the world’s leader in nuclear technology,” Sumner said. “Over 50% of the reactors that operate in the world use Westinghouse technology. We as a company service over 60% of the world’s operating nuclear fleet right here from our headquarters in the Pittsburgh region.”
The Westinghouse AP1000 Pressurized Water Reactor relies on natural forces such as gravity, air circulation and compressed gas for its safety systems, eliminating the need for operator intervention or active machinery in many accident scenarios, according to Westinghouse’s website.
Compared to other reactor designs, the AP1000 has a smaller footprint, which can translate to smaller land requirements and potentially lower construction costs.
In short, the AP1000 is designed to be safer, more efficient and more economical than previous generations of nuclear power plants, while also being more resistant to extreme events such as station blackouts.
