The Westinghouse eVinci™ microreactor team recently hosted representatives from the Saskatchewan First Nation Natural Resource Center of Excellence (SFNNRCOE) at the eVinci Technology Hub in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
SFNNRCOE supports the 74 First Nation communities in Saskatchewan to create opportunities for innovative, sustainable and environmentally responsible development of natural resources within their lands and Indigenous territories. The group visited our facility to learn more about the eVinci microreactor as a clean, reliable source of power for remote Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan as well as economic development and jobs.
The visitors, led by Sheldon Wuttunee, CEO of SFNNRCOE, were joined by Westinghouse Chief Commercial Officer Jacques Besnainou, who spoke about Westinghouse’s history and our AP1000® reactor, AP300™ SMR and eVinci technologies.
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"We are encouraged by the interest from Saskatchewan First Nation communities in our eVinci microreactor," Jacques said. "Westinghouse has strategic plans for growth across Canada and we welcome the engagement of Indigenous rights holders in the deployment of any of our technologies."
The SFNNRCOE delegation toured the eVinci demonstration room to learn about the heat pipe manufacturing process and about the eVinci components manufactured in Canada. The Canadian eVinci engineering team now has more than 30 professionals, allowing Westinghouse to enhance nuclear component design, testing, decommissioning and reactor tooling development locally. Additionally, Westinghouse has invested $3 million in expanding Canadian partnerships for design, testing services and transportation logistics.
With 5MWe of power, the eVinci microreactor is a potential substitute for diesel generation for remote communities. It can also offer energy independence with the opportunity for Indigenous communities to invest in their own power and heat generation. This is particularly important in northern Saskatchewan where there are existing transmission reliability challenges.
Following the tour, SFNNRCOE delegates talked about their expectations for new nuclear deployment in Saskatchewan, particularly in the areas of skills development, youth education and equity ownership.
Last year, Westinghouse and Cameco signed a memorandum of understanding with Saskatchewan Power Corporation (SaskPower), to assess the potential of Westinghouse’s nuclear reactor technology and the associated nuclear fuel supply chain required for Saskatchewan’s future clean power needs. We have also partnered with Saskatchewan Research Council to deploy the first microreactor in the province.
As part of our ongoing commitment to the Canadian nuclear industry, Westinghouse is dedicated to building strong relationships with Indigenous Peoples, seeking meaningful and beneficial partnerships for all new nuclear projects in Canada and worldwide.
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