Canada Releases $934 Million and Begins Construction of North America's First BWRX 300 Modular Reactor, Promising to Launch a New Nuclear Era by 2030 in Ontario

Canada Releases $934 Million and Begins Construction of North America’s First BWRX 300 Modular Reactor, Promising to Launch a New Nuclear Era by 2030 in Ontario

Written by Noel Budeguer

Published on 21/02/2026 at 17:46

Updated on 21/02/2026 at 17:48

1 person reacted to this.

In Ontario, Aecon Kiewit Nuclear Partners Received a Contract Worth US$ 934 Million to Build the BWRX 300 Modular Reactor in Darlington, with a Target for Commercial Operation in 2030 and a Direct Impact on the North American Nuclear Sector

Canada has just taken a decisive step in the nuclear energy sector. Following the project’s approval, Aecon Kiewit Nuclear Partners has been officially contracted to carry out the construction phase of the New Nuclear Project in Darlington, an initiative by Ontario Power Generation.

The project involves the construction of a small modular reactor, the GE Hitachi BWRX 300, identified as the first SMR grid-scale in North America. The proposal stands out for its adopted model and the financial volume involved.

With an estimated participation of approximately US$ 934 million, Aecon assumes a central role in executing a project that could redefine the progress of the new nuclear generation on the continent.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Billion-Dollar Contract Marks the Start of the Execution Phase of the BWRX 300 SMR

With the project’s approval, Aecon Kiewit Nuclear Partners has officially entered the execution phase of the New Nuclear Project in Darlington.

The construction will be carried out under an Integrated Delivery model, a strategy that brings different companies into direct collaboration throughout the development. This structure aims to increase efficiency and coordination among those involved.

The contract for Aecon within the partnership is valued at approximately US$ 934 million. The amount underscores the company’s significance in the project’s execution.

The impact is significant, as this is the first small modular reactor at grid scale in North America.

Partnership Brings Together Major Names in the International Nuclear Sector

Aecon Kiewit Nuclear Partners will collaborate with Ontario Power Generation, GE Vernova, Hitachi Nuclear Energy, and AtkinsRéalis throughout the entire execution phase.

The scope includes project management, detailed planning, and construction execution. The established goal is clear: to complete the project and initiate commercial operation by 2030.

The president and CEO of Aecon Group, Jean Louis Servranckx, described the New Nuclear Project in Darlington as a pioneering endeavor, highlighting that the initiative is leading the way for the next generation of nuclear plants in North America and also in the international scene.

The detail that stands out the most is the historic nature of the project within the province.

First New Nuclear Plant in Ontario in Over 30 Years

The New Nuclear Project in Darlington will be the first new nuclear plant built in Ontario in over three decades.

This fact reinforces the strategic relevance of the venture. The nuclear expansion occurs after a long hiatus without new constructions of this size in the region.

Furthermore, Ontario Power Generation has already received the Construction License for the first of the four planned BWRX 300 units for Darlington from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in April.

This regulatory step was essential to unlock the project’s progress and consolidate the timeline.

Billion-Dollar Project Could Reach US$ 15 Billion

The announcement involving Aecon was valued at US$ 15 billion, a figure that highlights the financial magnitude of the New Nuclear Project in Darlington.

Aecon is also already serving as the leading contractor for three major nuclear refurbishment projects in Ontario, including units in Darlington and Pickering, as well as the Bruce Power Major Component Replacement program.

This previous experience strengthens the company’s position in leading a project of this magnitude.

What seemed distant a few years ago is now taking concrete shape, with signed contracts, licenses granted, and a timeline defined until 2030.

The construction of the BWRX 300 in Darlington represents not only an engineering project but also a strategic move to expand the nuclear capacity of the region. The case stands out for the value involved, technological innovation, and the symbolism of inaugurating a new nuclear era in Ontario after more than 30 years.

Do you believe that small modular reactors will be the future of nuclear energy? Share your opinion in the comments.

Canada Releases $934 Million and Begins Construction of North America’s First BWRX 300 Modular Reactor, Promising to Launch a New Nuclear Era by 2030 in Ontario

In Ontario, Aecon Kiewit Nuclear Partners Received a Contract Worth US$ 934 Million to Build the BWRX 300 Modular Reactor in Darlington, with a Target for Commercial Operation in 2030 and a Direct Impact on the North American Nuclear Sector

Billion-Dollar Contract Marks the Start of the Execution Phase of the BWRX 300 SMR

Partnership Brings Together Major Names in the International Nuclear Sector

First New Nuclear Plant in Ontario in Over 30 Years

Billion-Dollar Project Could Reach US$ 15 Billion

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While communities suffer from water scarcity and the advancing desert, women in Morocco use nets high up in the mountains to trap fog droplets, fill reservoirs, and transport drinking water through more than 10 km of piping.

A perfect 6 km ring in the far east of Russia intrigues NASA satellites as it appears to be a meteor crater or an extinct volcano, but the agency has already confirmed that it is neither and harbors a much stranger origin beneath the Earth.

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Canada Releases $934 Million and Begins Construction of North America’s First BWRX 300 Modular Reactor, Promising to Launch a New Nuclear Era by 2030 in Ontario

In Ontario, Aecon Kiewit Nuclear Partners Received a Contract Worth US$ 934 Million to Build the BWRX 300 Modular Reactor in Darlington, with a Target for Commercial Operation in 2030 and a Direct Impact on the North American Nuclear Sector

Billion-Dollar Contract Marks the Start of the Execution Phase of the BWRX 300 SMR

Partnership Brings Together Major Names in the International Nuclear Sector

First New Nuclear Plant in Ontario in Over 30 Years

Billion-Dollar Project Could Reach US$ 15 Billion

While an average building in London or New York takes three years to be completed, in China a 26-story tower went up in five days with about 100 workers, and the global modular construction market already moves US$ 95 billion per year.

A Chinese factory in Guangdong is assembling a humanoid robot every 30 minutes while Tesla, Figure, and Boston Dynamics still struggle to deliver 10 thousand per year.

Australia installs giant concrete structures on the seabed 800 meters from the shore to create an ocean intake for desalination that will draw in saltwater and produce 30 million liters of drinking water per day.

Secret chamber sealed 4,500 years ago found in the Pyramid of Khufu, and Hawass announces its opening to the world in 2026

A public school student single-handedly created a machine capable of treating water for up to 50 people using only solar energy. It was awarded third place at one of the most important science fairs in the world.

While cities spend fortunes patching potholes and tons of plastic become waste, the Netherlands transforms over 218,000 recycled cups into a modular bike path that can conceal drainage, cables, and pipes.

While communities suffer from water scarcity and the advancing desert, women in Morocco use nets high up in the mountains to trap fog droplets, fill reservoirs, and transport drinking water through more than 10 km of piping.

Russia is sailing all 8 nuclear icebreakers of its fleet simultaneously for the first time in history, as the Arctic freezes two weeks earlier than expected.

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A perfect 6 km ring in the far east of Russia intrigues NASA satellites as it appears to be a meteor crater or an extinct volcano, but the agency has already confirmed that it is neither and harbors a much stranger origin beneath the Earth.

Australia positions a barge with 78-meter legs at sea to install ocean sockets connected to tunnels under the seabed to supply a desalination plant that will produce 150 million liters of water per day in Alkimos until 2028.

From a simple approach at the gate to more than R$ 45,000 in donations, the story of a gardener offering volunteer work shows how a well-tended garden can pave the way for food, hope, and an almost finished home for a Brazilian family.

Couple buys 380 seedlings online to create an 80-meter hedge on their property, tests drip irrigation, and begins transforming open area into a green wall at the refuge they are building in Santa Catarina.

3.09-carat white diamond found by woman in a United States park after losing her father and son, and the rare stone valued at up to R$ 240,000 becomes a symbol of unexpected joy during a period of mourning