A trilateral memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been signed in Washington providing for an assessment of opportunities to deploy BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) technology in Lithuania. The MOU was signed by the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, operating under the name Altra, together with the US company GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) and the Polish company SGE SA in the presence of Lithuania’s Minister of Energy, Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, and representatives of the US Department of Energy (DOE). These included Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors Rian Bahran and Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Nuclear Energy Elizabeth Urbanas.
The MOU establishes a framework for a detailed assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of the potential implementation of this technology including an analysis of technological solutions, safety and licensing requirements, as well as economic and market aspects.
The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission-certified ESBWR boiling water reactor design and its existing, licensed GNF2 fuel design. GVH’s first BWRX-300 is under construction at Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington site in Canada, with completion expected by 2030. SGE, as a co-investor together with GVH, holds the exclusive rights to deploy the technology across much of Central and Eastern Europe and can provide access to the standard design, the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR), and other documentation required for licensing and implementation.
“This Memorandum provides an opportunity to bring together Lithuania’s nuclear energy experience, the expertise of Altra’s specialists, and the latest knowledge of US partners developing advanced small modular reactor technologies to assess the applicability of next-generation small modular reactors in Lithuania,” said Žygimantas Vaičiūnas. “While the prospects of these technologies are still at the analysis stage, a systematic assessment will allow us to determine how such solutions could contribute to the country’s energy security, sustainability, and climate-neutral energy and economic goals. Renewable energy is and will remain Lithuania’s clear choice; however, to achieve full climate neutrality by 2050, we must also assess the potential of these technologies in Lithuania,”
Lithuania’s National Energy Independence Strategy in 2024 predicted that demand for electricity was set to increase from 24 TWh in 2030 to 74 TWh in 2050. It said a decision on the installation of SMRs should be made by 2028 with the first operating by 2038. In 2025, Lithuania’s Ministry of Energy established a dedicated working group that includes representatives from Altra. The group is analysing pathways for the application of advanced nuclear technologies and will assess their potential role within Lithuania’s energy system.
Altra CEO Linas Baužys noted that the MOU enables a consistent and responsible assessment of advanced nuclear technology potential in Lithuania. “We have nuclear energy experience and competencies that can be valuable when discussing next-generation solutions that strengthen national energy security and long-term system stability. In the context of a rapidly changing energy landscape, we must objectively assess various advanced technologies and their applicability in Lithuania. The BWRX-300 is one of the most advanced small modular reactor technologies currently under development, making it a natural option to analyse as part of future energy solutions,” he said.
“Lithuania’s energy transformation requires stable, zero-emission power that strengthens system security and supports long-term economic development,” said Rafał Kasprów, CEO of SGE. “The BWRX-300 small modular reactor is designed to meet these needs, delivering safe, clean, reliable, affordable, and scalable nuclear energy based on decades of operating experience. By signing this Memorandum of Understanding, we are taking a structured step toward assessing the role of the BWRX-300 within Lithuania’s long-term energy framework.”
Previously, two 1,500 MWe RBMK reactors operated the Ignalina NPP providing 70% of Lithuania’s electricity. However, they were closed in 2004 and 2009 as a condition for Lithuania’s membership of the European Union. The plant is being decommissioned by Ignalina NPP, which has removed fuel from the reactors and placed it into dry casks for interim storage at the site. The decommissioning process is due to last until 2038.
