Aecon Kiewit Nuclear Partners has been awarded a construction contract by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) for the execution phase on the Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) in Clarington, Ontario. Aecon Kiewit Nuclear Partners is a general partnership between Aecon and Kiewit Nuclear Canada with Aecon as the lead partner. This came after OPG approved construction of GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s (GVH’s) BWRX-300 small modular reactor at the DNNP. OPG received a Licence to Construct the first of four planned BWRX-300s at Darlington from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in April.
Aecon said its share of the contract is valued at approximately CAD1.3bn ($934m), which will be added to its Construction segment backlog in the second quarter of 2025. The project is being delivered under an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) model. During the execution phase, Aecon Kiewit Nuclear Partners will work collaboratively with OPG (owner and licence holder), GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy and AtkinsRéalis to what is expected to be North America’s first grid-scale small modular reactor (SMR). Aecon Kiewit Nuclear Partners will be responsible for project management, construction planning and execution, with completion and commercial operation expected in 2030.
“OPG’s Darlington New Nuclear Project is a trailblazing undertaking – leading the way in delivering the next generation of nuclear plants across North America and internationally,” said Aecon Group President & CEO Jean-Louis Servranckx. “Aecon is proud to bring its diverse nuclear expertise and multidisciplinary capabilities to play a prominent role in safely executing this exciting project to meet the energy demands of future generations in Ontario.”
Aaron Johnson, Senior Vice President, Nuclear, at the Aecon Group said Aecon “continues to pursue strategic growth across a full spectrum of nuclear opportunities spanning large-scale new builds, SMRs, and life extension programs in existing and target priority markets”. Aecon is also the leading constructor for the three largest nuclear refurbishment projects in Ontario, including those at the Darlington, Pickering and the Bruce NPPs.
