Westinghouse Electric Company is working with Google Cloud to use artificial intelligence tools to speed up the construction of modular nuclear reactors
The two companies plan to use AI to make the construction of advanced nuclear reactors an efficient, repeatable process and to use data-driven insights to enhance the operations of existing nuclear power plants.
The collaboration will pair Westinghouse’s HiVE and bertha nuclear AI solutions with Google Cloud technologies and expertise.
Working together, the two companies have successfully achieved a first-of-a-kind proof-of-concept leveraging Westinghouse WNEXUS digital plant design platform and HiVE artificial intelligence enhanced by Google Cloud technologies, including Vertex AI, Gemini and BigQuery, to autonomously generate and optimise AP1000 modular construction work packages.
Optimising construction through AI
“As the only fully licensed, construction-ready modular reactor available today, our AP1000 technology is the quickest way to add new sources of affordable and abundant nuclear energy to the US grid,” said Dan Sumner, Westinghouse interim chief executive officer.
“By partnering with Google Cloud to enhance our HiVE and bertha technology, and backed by 75 years of our proprietary nuclear data, we can accelerate the deployment of new AP1000 units, while implementing powerful AI technologies that will optimise the construction and operations of nuclear power plants.”
Kyle Jessen, managing director, commercial industries, Google Cloud added: “This partnership with Westinghouse combines Google Cloud’s AI technologies and expertise with Westinghouse’s century-long expertise in nuclear innovation to chart a new path towards a smarter and safer future.
“Artificial intelligence is not merely a tool; it also can give companies a critical competitive advantage. Westinghouse is demonstrating what’s possible.”
Westinghouse introduced HiVE and bertha in September 2024, built from more than 75 years of proprietary data, knowledge and expertise.
Dedicated nuclear engineers support these nuclear-specific AI solutions and will optimise new nuclear deployment of the AP1000 reactor, AP300 small modular reactors and eVinci microreactor technologies.
Westinghouse Electric Company introduced the world’s first commercial pressurised water reactor in 1957, and today its technology is the basis for nearly one-half of the world’s operating nuclear plants.
