GE Vernova and Hitachi Ltd. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the deployment of the BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) in Southeast Asia, marking a strategic step toward strengthening nuclear energy collaboration in the region. The agreement was signed during the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial & Business Forum in Tokyo, in the presence of Doug Burgum and Japan’s Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa.
Under the MoU, the companies will collaborate through their joint ventures, GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Hitachi GE Vernova Nuclear Energy, to identify commercial opportunities for the BWRX-300 across Southeast Asia. The partnership will also evaluate the integration of qualified Japanese suppliers to strengthen the supply chain supporting future SMR deployments in the region.
Under the MoU, the companies will collaborate through their joint ventures, GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Hitachi GE Vernova Nuclear Energy, to identify commercial opportunities for the BWRX-300 across Southeast Asia. The partnership will also evaluate the integration of qualified Japanese suppliers to strengthen the supply chain supporting future SMR deployments in the region.
Roger Martella, Chief Corporate Officer at GE Vernova, said the growing global focus on energy security is driving renewed interest in nuclear power. He noted that the company’s SMR technology could play a key role in supporting long-term, reliable power generation across Southeast Asia.
Yasunori Inada, Vice President and Executive Officer and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Business Unit at Hitachi, said the collaboration builds on the companies’ long-standing partnership in nuclear technology. He added that the initiative aims to contribute to a sustainable energy future in the region by combining the technological strengths of both organizations.
Momentum for the BWRX-300 continues to grow globally. The first unit is currently under construction at Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington site in Canada, where four SMRs are planned, with the first expected to be completed by the end of the decade. In the United States, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is reviewing an application from the Tennessee Valley Authority to construct a BWRX-300 reactor at the Clinch River site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. These projects highlight increasing global interest in commercially deploying small modular reactor technology.
GE Vernova, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, operates across power, wind, and electrification businesses, supporting energy transition efforts worldwide. Hitachi, through its Social Innovation Business, operates globally across digital systems, energy, mobility, and industrial sectors, focusing on integrating technology and data to address social and industrial challenges.
