APX Systems Analyst Intern

Trump admin courts Westinghouse rivals amid slow talks on new nuclear. The DOE has held talks with leaders from GE Hitachi and the South Korean government to explore alternatives to the AP1000 - the flagship American nuclear reactor. 13 March 2026 The Trump administration is pushing to revive the U.S. nuclear industry - but slow-moving talks with the developer of the nation's flagship nuclear reactor have prompted officials to explore alternatives. Last May, amid surging demand for more electricity, President Donald Trump issued a flurry of executive orders aimed at quadrupling how much nuclear energy the United States produces. For all the hype around next-generation technologies, a key prong of the expansion rests on the large-scale reactors the U.S. knows how to build and operate. One order directed the Department of Energy to "facilitate 5 gigawatts" of upgrades that squeeze more electricity out of existing plants and to "have 10 new large reactors with complete designs under construction by 2030." Two weeks ago, the DOE's Office of Energy Dominance Financing - previously known as the Loan Programs Office - closed a record $25.6 billion deal with Southern Co. to fund 6 GW of upgrades. Building those new reactors is proving trickier, even though the language of that executive order was clearly designed to benefit one specific reactor model. In the early 2000s, Westinghouse Electric Co., the legendary Pennsylvania developer whose pressurized-water reactor technology makes up three-quarters of the global fleet, rolled out the AP1000 as the crown-jewel American reactor model for the 21st century. After years of delays and billions of dollars in cost overruns, the U.S. finally completed its first two - and, so far, only - AP1000s at Southern Co.'s Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in eastern Georgia in 2023 and 2024. The Trump administration has also explicitly embraced the reactor with a separate announcement. Last October, the Department of Commerce brokered a framework for a deal with the Japanese government that would secure an $80 billion investment for building at least 10 new AP1000s, though the details have yet to be ironed out. But now the Trump administration is actively considering at least two rivals to the AP1000 that would qualify under the executive order. The DOE has held talks in recent weeks with executives from GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy and South Korean diplomats representing the state-owned Korea Electric Power Corp. to discuss potential financing if either company decides to compete with Westinghouse to build new large reactors, according to nine industry and administration sources who talked to Canary Media on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly. Both companies have gigawatt-scale reactors already certified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The DOE declined to comment on the talks but said in a statement that the Office of Energy Dominance Financing "plays a pivotal role in deploying high impact capital, which meets the goals for more large-scale nuclear deployment." The agency said, "DOE is fully committed to unleashing America's next nuclear renaissance, from reinvigorating domestic supply chains to delivering gigawatts of new reactors." The talks developed as the Trump administration struggles to reach a deal with Westinghouse's majority owner, the private equity giant Brookfield Asset Management, the sources said. To the DOE, Westinghouse and Brookfield are moving too slowly. To the utilities that the developers would likely work with, the federal government's generous financing options for new reactors still don't include the one thing they want most: cost-overrun insurance. Westinghouse was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017 after the costs of building the two reactors at Plant Vogtle ballooned. "Westinghouse is not easy to negotiate with," one industry source said. "But the bigger problem is the cost overruns." Brookfield did not respond to emailed questions. Westinghouse declined to comment on talks with the DOE but, in an emailed statement, called the AP1000 "the only construction-ready, gigawatt-scale, advanced modular reactor that is fully licensed and operating in the U.S." The company said, "Westinghouse and its experienced U.S. supply chain partners are ready now to deliver a fleet of AP1000 plants." A spokesperson also sent a 24-slide report, released this week and conducted by the consultancy PwC on behalf of the firm, which found that building 10 new AP1000s would give the U.S. economy a nearly $93 billion boost. It's difficult to compare the price of the AP1000 with the cost of its two U.S.-certified rivals. GE Hitachi - as the U.S.-Japanese joint venture is referred to - has not built its ABWR in 20 years. Meanwhile, South Korea provided state-backed loans that may not be available in the U.S. in its most recent international bids for its competitor, the APR-1400. But research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has separately found that the AP1000's settled design and supply chains make it the cheapest option to build next in the U.S., compared with the small modular reactors on offer. The AP1000, and designs like it, have made up 12 of the 14 new units connected to the grid worldwide since 2023. The AP1000's competition. GE Hitachi expressed little interest in bringing back its ABWR, three of those sources said. The company did not respond to emailed questions. The developer built four of the 1,300-megawatt powerhouses in Japan between 1996 and 2006. It nearly finished another two at Taiwan's canceled fourth nuclear station. The company's partner in the early 2000s, the Japanese giant Toshiba, also laid plans for the first U.S. ABWR 90 miles southwest of Houston, before abandoning the proposal in 2018. The intellectual property for the ABWR is shared between GE, Hitachi, and Toshiba. But bringing back the ABWR could pull resources away from GE Hitachi's big gamble on small modular reactors. The company is currently developing its first two 300-megawatt BWRX-300 reactors: one in Tennessee, with $400 million in backing from the Trump administration, and the other in Ontario, Canada.

Westinghouse Electric Company, Nordion and PSEG Nuclear have reached key milestones to establish the first commercial-scale production of Cobalt-60 in US pressurised water reactors. The companies have entered long-term agreements to implement the technology at PSEG's Salem Nuclear Generating Station in New Jersey. Cobalt-60 is used to sterilise over 16 billion single-use medical devices annually in the US, deliver cancer treatments and enhance food safety. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission is reviewing PSEG's licence amendment request, with implementation targeted for 2026 subject to authorisation. The technology will initially be deployed at Salem's two units, with Cobalt-60 supplied to Nordion. Successful implementation could enable broader deployment across the global pressurised water reactor fleet, which comprises over 70% of commercial reactors worldwide.

Arabelle Solutions turbine and generator selected for Poland's first Nuclear Power plant. Bechtel and Westinghouse tap Arabelle Solutions to supply steam turbine and key auxiliary components. Bechtel and Westinghouse Electric Company have chosen Arabelle Solutions to supply three half-speed Arabelle steam turbine and generator sets for the AP1000(R) nuclear project in Poland. The selection was confirmed by Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ), the Polish state-owned company developing the country's first nuclear power plant at the Choczewo site in Pomerania. Arabelle Solutions will provide the steam turbine and generator systems for all three units at the Choczewo nuclear plant, along with the major supporting equipment needed to run the steam cycle. In a nuclear power plant, heat from the reactor turns water into steam, which spins a turbine and generator to produce electricity. "This is an important milestone and reflects the strong partnerships required to deliver Poland's first nuclear power plant," said Ed Gore, Project Director, Poland AP1000 Project, Bechtel. "Arabelle Solutions brings deep regional capabilities and provides opportunities for Polish producers to participate in this project. We are proud to apply Bechtel's world-class construction expertise to support the energy transition of Poland." "As a result of a transparent, competitive and extremely demanding procurement process, a supplier of one of the largest components of the conventional part of our power plant was selected. The procurement process itself, in which PEJ participated, was based on the highest technical and quality standards. We have chosen a partner who guarantees experience, and above all reliability and a wide chain of suppliers - largely Polish," said Marek Woszczyk, President of the Management Board of Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe. Arabelle Solutions, firmly established in Poland, works with a broad network of Polish suppliers on international projects, including manufacturers of equipment designed for its steam turbines and generators. The company also supports Poland's growing nuclear workforce through its strategic partnership with the Warsaw University of Technology. "We are proud to partner with Bechtel and Westinghouse Electric Company to deliver the turbine hall equipment for the first nuclear power plant in Poland, contributing to providing reliable, low-carbon electricity to the country," said Catherine Cornand, Chief Executive Officer, Arabelle Solutions. "This project reflects both the trust of our partners and the commitment of our teams to carry forward our long-standing expertise and legacy of innovation to meet the world's growing energy needs. We aim to develop further Polish supply chain in cooperation with our AP 1000 partners and Government programs to enhance this industrial base and deliver the skills for the future." The selection follows a rigorous procurement process evaluating both technical and financial criteria. Arabelle Solutions will adapt its standard steam turbine design for the Turbine Island at the Choczewo site, with fabrication expected to begin after the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) agreement for the project is finalized. "The choice of Arabelle Solutions for the project's steam turbine generator is a strong complement to the AP1000(R) reactor, the most advanced, proven technology that is setting operational and performance records at six operational units worldwide," said Dan Lipman, President of Westinghouse Energy Systems. "Having such a major European supplier involved in the project underscores Westinghouse-Bechtel consortium 'Buy Where We Build' philosophy and our commitment to having Polish companies participating throughout the entire project." Together, Bechtel and Westinghouse bring more than 140 years of nuclear power experience to bring Poland's first nuclear plant online at Choczewo. The project includes building three proven Westinghouse AP1000 units, the only advanced operating Generation III+ reactors with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. Currently, there are six AP1000 reactors setting operational performance and availability records worldwide with twelve additional reactors under construction and five more under contract. There will be 18 units based on AP1000 technology in operation globally by the end of the decade. About Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe. Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe sp. z o.o. is a company responsible for activities including the preparation of the investment process and acting as the investor in the project to build first Polish nuclear power plant with a total capacity of 3.75 GWe based on safe, proven, large-scale generation III(+) pressurized water reactors (PWR), and potentially, their future operation. The Company also supports the government administration in activities aimed at the execution of the Polish Nuclear Power Programme and the development of a civil nuclear power program and the civil nuclear power sector in the Republic of Poland. For more information, please visit: www.pej.pl and follow Bechtel on LinkedIn and X. About Westinghouse. Westinghouse Electric Company is shaping the future of carbon-free energy by providing safe, innovative nuclear and other clean power technologies and services globally. Westinghouse supplied the world's first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 and the company's technology is the basis for nearly one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. Over 135 years of innovation makes Westinghouse the preferred partner for advanced technologies covering the complete nuclear energy life cycle. For more information, visit www.westinghousenuclear.com and follow Bechtel on Facebook, LinkedIn and X. About Arabelle Solutions. Arabelle Solutions is a global leader in nuclear turbine island technologies and services, helping its customers produce reliable, low-carbon electricity. Its innovative technology ranges from the world's most powerful steam turbine in operation, to pioneering modular designs optimized for SMRs, as well as generators, pumps, heat-exchangers, and controls. Arabelle Solutions technologies and services are used in around a third of nuclear power plants globally. The company has around 3,500 employees across 16 countries and is a subsidiary of EDF Group. About Bechtel. Bechtel is a trusted engineering, construction and project management partner to industry and government. Differentiated by the quality of its people and its relentless drive to deliver the most successful outcomes, Bechtel align its capabilities to its customers' objectives to create a lasting positive impact. Since 1898, Bechtel has helped customers complete more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents that have created jobs, grown economies, improved the resiliency of the world's infrastructure, increased access to energy, resources, and vital services, and made the world a safer, cleaner place. Bechtel serves the Energy; Infrastructure; Manufacturing & Technology; Mining & Metals; and Nuclear, Security & Environmental markets. Its services span from initial planning and investment, through start-up and operations. www.bechtel.com