Westinghouse Electric has announced a partnership with Google Cloud to deploy AI for nuclear reactor construction and operations.
The collaboration aims to transform the construction process of advanced Westinghouse nuclear reactors into a streamlined, repeatable procedure and utilise data-driven insights to enhance the operations of existing nuclear power plants.
Westinghouse and Google Cloud are set to integrate Westinghouse's nuclear AI solutions, HiVE and bertha, with Google Cloud's technologies and expertise.
Introduced in September 2024, the HiVE and bertha AI solutions are underpinned by more than seven decades of proprietary data and nuclear expertise.
These AI tools, supported by dedicated nuclear engineers, are set to revolutionise the deployment of Westinghouse's AP1000 reactor, AP300 small modular reactors, and eVinci microreactor technologies, ensuring a reliable and cost-effective power supply.
Westinghouse interim CEO Dan Sumner stated: “As the only fully licensed, construction-ready modular reactor available today, our AP1000 technology is the quickest way to add new sources of affordable and abundant nuclear energy to the US grid.
“By partnering with Google Cloud to enhance our HiVE and bertha technology and backed by 75 years of our proprietary nuclear data, we can accelerate the deployment of new AP1000 units while implementing powerful AI technologies that will optimise the construction and operations of nuclear power plants.”
The initiative has already led to a successful proof of concept using Westinghouse's WNEXUS digital plant design platform alongside Google Cloud's Vertex AI, Gemini and BigQuery.
This achievement autonomously generated and optimised work packages for the modular construction of the AP1000 reactor.
Google Cloud commercial industries managing director Kyle Jessen stated: “This partnership with Westinghouse combines Google Cloud’s AI technologies and expertise with Westinghouse’s century-long expertise in nuclear innovation to chart a new path towards a smarter and safer future.
“Artificial intelligence is not merely a tool; it can give companies a critical competitive advantage. Westinghouse is demonstrating what’s possible.”
Westinghouse Electric has also been awarded a $180m contract to assemble the vacuum vessel for the ITER nuclear fusion reactor in Sanit-Paul-lez-Durance, France.
This vessel is a critical component of the ITER project, which aims to harness fusion as a sustainable and carbon-free energy source.
The contract entails the completion and welding of nine vessel sectors into a hermetically sealed torus, central to the nuclear fusion process.
