The MoU was signed in Washington in the US in the presence of Lithuania’s Energy Minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, US Department of Energy Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors Rian Bahran and Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Nuclear Energy Elizabeth Urbanas.
Nuclear policy 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. The Ministry of Energy said “taking into account the challenges of climate change management, energy security goals and studies carried out, one of the possible solutions is the installation of nuclear reactors with a capacity of up to 1.5 GW in Lithuania”.
A working group was set up last year to report on nuclear energy development opportunities in the country and the national strategy said a decision on the installation of small modular reactors (SMRs) should be made by 2028 with the first operating by 2038. An MoU was signed last July by Altra and France-headquartered innovative reactor developer Newcleo on assessing the possibilities of applying its advanced fast reactor technology in the Baltic state.
Two large RBMK reactors at the Ignalina nuclear power plant provided 70% of Lithuania’s electricity until their closure in 2004 and 2009 as a condition of the country joining the European Union. The power 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.
The BWRX-300
The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GVH’s 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 the end of the decade.
In December 2021 GE Hitachi, BWXT Canada and SGE – part of the Synthos Group – signed a Letter of Intent to cooperate in deploying BWRX-300 SMRs in Poland. OSGE – a joint venture between chemical producers SGE and PKN Orlen – plans to deploy a fleet of 24 BWRX-300 reactors in Poland. It has begun development at three separate sites and aims to complete the first unit, in Włocławek, by 2032.
SGE is a co-investor in the standard design for the BWRX-300 and is in the process of establishing SMR partnerships and projects in a number of Central and Eastern European countries, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.
The aims of the Lithuanian MoU
The memorandum of understanding is said to “establish a framework for a detailed assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of the potential implementation of this technology. The assessment will analyse technological solutions, safety and licensing requirements, as well as economic and market aspects”.
Vaičiūnas said the agreement “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”.
He said: “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.”
Linas Baužys, Altra CEO, said: “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.”
Sean Sexstone, Executive Vice President, Advanced Nuclear, GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, said: “The experience gained as we build the first commercial-scale SMR in the western world with Ontario Power Generation, as well as our collaboration with SGE, strongly positions us to successfully deploy the technology in Lithuania and other European countries.”
Rafał Kasprów, CEO of SGE, said: “Lithuania’s energy transformation requires stable, zero-emission power that strengthens system security and supports long-term economic development … the BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor is designed to meet these needs … we are taking a structured step toward assessing the role of the BWRX-300 within Lithuania’s long-term energy framework.”
