BWX Technologies (BWXT) has been selected by Prodigy Clean Energy and two First Nations to supply its BANR microreactor technology for a proposed transportable nuclear power plant in Belledune, New Brunswick, Canada. The Indigenous-led project, planned within the traditional territory of Pabineau First Nation and Eel River Bar First Nation, aims to establish a reference design for wider deployment of transportable nuclear plants.
The proposed facility is designed for an electrical capacity of up to 50 MW and targets operation in the early 2030s. New Brunswick’s government has issued a letter of intent to purchase the electricity generated by the project.
BWXT’s BANR (BWXT Advanced Nuclear Reactor) is a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor designed to produce 75 MW of thermal energy, equivalent to 22 MW of electricity per unit. It uses high-assay low-enriched uranium in tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel and incorporates passive cooling. Prodigy’s transportable plant design can accommodate one or more reactors.
The plant is intended to be assembled in a factory, transported to its destination and installed with a target installation period of around 18 months. The modular approach is designed to reduce on-site construction requirements and support deployment in remote locations with limited infrastructure.
BWXT Canada and Kinectrics, a BWXT-owned company, will contribute engineering and project delivery expertise. The two BANR units and other plant systems are expected to be manufactured principally at BWXT facilities in Ontario, with support from Canadian nuclear supply-chain companies.
“By joining forces with Prodigy and integrating BANR with Prodigy’s transportable platform design, we are truly expanding BWXT’s horizons for future customers,” said John MacQuarrie, BWXT president of Commercial Operations.
Prodigy chief executive Mathias Trojer said the Belledune project would provide a reference for future deployments serving northern communities, industrial users and international markets.
BWXT and Prodigy are working towards a definitive agreement covering development, engineering, licensing, supply-chain integration, financing and deployment. The Belledune plant remains a proposed project, with regulatory approvals and final commercial arrangements still to be completed.
