Energy Northwest has selected a team made up of Kiewit Nuclear Solutions, Black and Veatch and Aecon to complete planning and construction of four small modular reactors at its proposed project near Richland, Wash.
According to Energy Northwest’s Oct. 23 press release, the joint venture, called Cascade Nuclear Partners, will work collaboratively on the first four Xe-100 SMRs under a progressive design-build model. The model incorporates design and construction into a single contract but splits up into two stages.
Plans call for the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility to have 12 Xe-100 SMRs. X-Energy’s Xe-100 SMR is a high-temperature gas-cooled that produces 80 megawatts of electricity.
The first phase of the plant would generate up to 320 megawatts through four reactors and will be located adjacent to Energy Northwest’s Columbia Generating Station near the Department of Energy’s Hanford nuclear cleanup site.
“Selecting Cascade Nuclear Partners is a strategic milestone for this project, one that reflects our continued momentum for this project,” Energy Northwest CEO Bob Schuetz said in the release. “Their specialized knowledge in nuclear construction, collaborative approach, and strong alignment with Energy Northwest’s values gives us confidence in their ability to help deliver this critical project successfully.”
In October 2024 Energy Northwest and X-Energy announced a multi-year agreement with Amazon to develop advanced reactors in the Northwest. Under the deal, Amazon will have the right to purchase electricity from their first project.
Energy Northwest hopes to begin construction by the end of the decade and commence operations in the 2030s.