OPG awards construction for Darlington SMR

Ontario Power Generation has awarded Aecon Kiewit Nuclear Partners a construction contract for the Darlington New Nuclear project in Clarington, Ontario.

Aecon, a Canadian construction company, announced a press release.May 8 that its partnership with Kiewit Nuclear Canada, was awarded the alliance construction contract. Aecon said its share of the contract is worth $1.3 billion.

Also on May 8, the Province of Ontario approved of OPG’s venture of building its first BWRX-300 SMR at the Darlington site in Clarington, Ontario.

The Darlington project, which includes building a GE Hitachi BWRX-300 SMR, will be conducted under an integrated project delivery method. The process involves all parties in the design, fabrication and construction parts of a project under a single agreement.

According to the press release, Aecon Kiewit Nuclear Partners will work in collaboration with OPG, GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy and AtkinsRéalis. The first Darlington nuclear site SMR is expected to be completed by 2030.

Aecon is also the leading constructor for the three largest refurbishment projects in Ontario which include the Darlington Nuclear Refurbishment, the Pickering Nuclear Refurbishment and the Bruce Major Component Replacement Program, as stated in the press release.

The Darlington New Nuclear project is aimed to build four SMRs at the Darlington site to produce 1,200 megawatts of electricity for the Ontario Province. OPG selected the BWRX-300 SMR as its SMR in December 2021 and was later issued a construction permit by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for it.