US-based  X-energy continues to advance its Xe-100 small modular reactor (SMR) design for deployment in Canada, and on 21 September signed a collaboration agreement for engineering and project management with Hatch Ltd for projects in Canada and globally.

“With this agreement, X-energy and Hatch will work together to create a clean energy future here in Canada and worldwide,” said Katherine Moshonas Cole, X-energy’s Canada country manager.

“The Xe-100 design can be a catalyst for building a Canadian SMR industry that will provide global leadership in achieving this goal,” says Moshonas Cole. “We feel fortunate to be working with Canadian companies like Hatch, who share our vision for a better future.”

Hatch is a global engineering and project management firm founded in Ontario (Canada) 65 years ago. As part of the agreement, Hatch will provide technical services to assist X-energy in advancing the design for the Xe-100 SMR, as well as associated engineering required for site-specific infrastructure planning for potential projects in Canada, the United States and beyond..

X-energy entered the Canadian market in 2019 with the near-term deployable Xe-100 design. This year, X-energy initiated a combined Phase 1 and 2 Vendor Design Review (VDR) of the Xe-100 with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). The Xe-100 is an 80MWe (scalable to a 320 MWe four-pack) SMR design that can serve several purposes for both electric and non-electric power:

It can be integrated into large, regional electricity systems as a base and load-following source of low-carbon power that will optimise use of low-emission, intermittent renewables and other clean power.

It can provide an all-in-one solution for self-sufficiency in remote communities, providing electricity as well as other power applications including district heating and water desalination. The Xe-100 is also intended for infrastructure development including hydrogen production, mining and other remote-site projects.