Westinghouse unveils microreactor innovations in Saskatchewan
A titan of the industry is evolving as Westinghouse proceeds with its microreactor venture.
The Westinghouse eVinci microreactor team recently hosted representatives from the Saskatchewan First Nation Natural Resource Center of Excellence (SFNNRCOE) at the eVinci Technology Hub in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
SFNNRCOE supports the 74 First Nation communities in Saskatchewan to create opportunities for innovative, sustainable and environmentally responsible development of natural resources within their lands and Indigenous territories. The group visited its facility to learn more about the eVinci microreactor as a clean, reliable source of power for remote Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan as well as economic development and jobs.
The visitors, led by Sheldon Wuttunee, CEO of SFNNRCOE, were joined by Westinghouse Chief Commercial Officer Jacques Besnainou, who spoke about Westinghouse’s history and its AP1000 reactor, AP300™ SMR and eVinci technologies.
The SFNNRCOE delegation toured the eVinci demonstration room to learn about the heat pipe manufacturing process and about the eVinci components manufactured in Canada. The Canadian eVinci engineering team now has more than 30 professionals, allowing Westinghouse to enhance nuclear component design, testing, decommissioning and reactor tooling development locally. Additionally, Westinghouse has invested $3 million in expanding Canadian partnerships for design, testing services and transportation logistics.
With 5MWe of power, the eVinci microreactor is a potential substitute for diesel generation for remote communities. It can also offer energy independence with the opportunity for Indigenous communities to invest in their own power and heat generation. This is particularly important in northern Saskatchewan where there are existing transmission reliability challenges.
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