Wedoany.com Report-May 28, The Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) and GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly assess the international deployment of BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) technology. The agreement, formalized during a private ceremony at the World Utilities Congress in Abu Dhabi, UAE, builds on a prior MoU from the COP28 conference in 2023, which focused on evaluating the technology under ENEC’s ADVANCE program.

The collaboration aims to develop a roadmap for deploying the BWRX-300, covering site selection, licensing processes, investment strategies, commercialization, and supply chain development. The partnership leverages ENEC’s expertise from operating the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE and GVH’s experience in advanced nuclear reactor designs.

ENEC’s Managing Director and CEO, Mohamed Al Hammadi, stated: “As we continue to power the UAE with clean, baseload electricity around the clock, we are glad to move to the next level of cooperation with GE Vernova Hitachi to accelerate the deployment of new advanced nuclear reactor technologies in the UAE and internationally. This MoU will bring together our complementary expertise to identify a clear roadmap for deployment, which is essential to ensure safe, efficient and quality-led nuclear delivery, as we have experienced here in the UAE. As global power demand continues to grow at pace, we look forward to advancing new solutions to meet this growth in a sustainable manner.”

Maví Zingoni, CEO of GE Vernova’s Power Businesses, said: “With projects moving forward in Canada and in the United States, collaborating with ENEC further strengthens our ties with the UAE and ability to deliver this technology and achieve a more sustainable energy future.” The BWRX-300, a 300 MWe water-cooled SMR with passive safety systems, is based on the ESBWR boiling water reactor design and is positioned as a leading innovative solution.

The agreement follows significant milestones for the BWRX-300. In May 2025, Ontario, Canada, approved construction of the first BWRX-300 at Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington site. Additionally, the Tennessee Valley Authority submitted a construction application for a BWRX-300 at Clinch River, near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to U.S. regulators. These developments highlight the technology’s potential as a scalable, sustainable energy solution.