BWXT announces Cambridge plant expansion
Commercial nuclear manufacturer BWX Technologies has announced plans to expand its plant in Cambridge.
Already one of the largest nuclear commercial manufacturing facilities in North America, the company says the site’s increased footprint will enable greater capacity to support ongoing and anticipated investments in small modular reactors, traditional large-scale nuclear and advanced reactors here in Canada and around the world.
The expansion, which is estimated to cost $50 million, will increase the facility’s footprint by 25 percent to 280,000 square feet.
BWXT also plans to invest an additional $30 million over the next few years in advanced manufacturing equipment for the facility.
The total investment of $80 million will increase plant capacity, improve productivity and create more than 200 long-term jobs for skilled workers, engineers and support staff in the area.
“Our expansion comes at a time when we’re supporting our customers in the successful execution of some of the largest clean nuclear energy projects in the world,” said president of commercial operations John MacQuarrie. “At the same time, the global nuclear industry is increasingly being called upon to mitigate the impacts of climate change and increase energy security and independence. By investing significantly in our Cambridge manufacturing facility, BWXT is further positioning our business to serve our customers to produce more safe, clean and reliable electricity in Canada and abroad.”
Construction is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2024, adjacent to the existing plant, with no interruption to ongoing operations at the current facility. The project is estimated to be completed by the middle of 2026.
Additionally, BWXT will relocate its projects and field services business to a stand-alone 150,000-square-foot facility in Kitchener.
Recent announcements by provincial governments to increase emissions-free power generation have reinvigorated the nuclear industry in Canada.
Within the last year, the Government of Ontario has announced support for building a total of four small modular reactors (SMRs) for Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) Darlington New Nuclear Project; refurbishing OPG Pickering Nuclear Generating Station; and initiating pre-development work for siting up to 4,800 MWs of new nuclear power generation at Bruce Power.
BWXT is currently supporting nuclear plant life extension projects at OPG and Bruce Power. In 2023, the company was awarded the engineering contract for the BWRX-300 reactor pressure vessel for the OPG Darlington New Nuclear Project. As well, BWXT was awarded an engineering contract from TerraPower for the Natrium Demonstration Project underway in Kemmerer, Wyoming.
“The nuclear industry is powering Ontario’s economy, by supplying clean, reliable electricity, life-saving medical isotopes, and creating thousands of good jobs,” said Bruce Power CEO Mike Rencheck. “We are supporting advanced manufacturing while providing a deeply decarbonized grid to attract new businesses to our province. The expansion at the BWXT facility in Cambridge is another great example of the positive impact our industry can have in communities all across the province. Clean air, cancer-fighting medical treatments, and economic expansion leading Ontario to a better future."
The Independent Electricity System Operator’s Pathways to Decarbonization Report forecasts that in less than 30 years, Ontario could need to more than double its electricity generation capacity from 42,000 megawatts (MW) today to 88,000 MW in 2050. The report forecasts an additional 17,800 MW of nuclear power could be required to meet that increased demand.
To meet growing demand, the Ontario government is conducting Canada’s largest clean energy storage procurement, has invested more than $1 billion in energy efficiency programs, is supporting the continued safe operation of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, and is building Canada’s first grid-scale small modular reactor.
Nuclear power currently provides about 50 percent of Ontario’s electricity supply and has been a part of Ontario’s electricity system since the 1960s.