Westinghouse, Google aim to speed up reactor construction with AI
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In September last year, Westinghouse introduced the HiVE System - a generative artificial intelligence system built on more than 75 years of proprietary data, knowledge and expertise. The system features a Nuclear Large Language Model AI System named bertha, after Bertha Lamme who was the first woman in the US to receive a mechanical engineering degree - in 1893 - and then became the first female engineer hired by Westinghouse. According to Westinghouse, these nuclear-specific AI solutions will optimise new nuclear deployment of its AP1000 reactor, AP300 small modular reactors and eVinci microreactor technologies.
Under its agreement with Google Cloud, the two companies will pair Westinghouse's HiVE and bertha nuclear AI solutions with Google Cloud technologies and expertise to "transform the construction of advanced Westinghouse nuclear reactors into an efficient, repeatable process and enhance the operations of existing nuclear power plants using data-driven insights".
"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 Westinghouse Interim Chief Executive Officer Dan Sumner. "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."
"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," said Kyle Jessen, Managing Director, Commercial Industries, Google Cloud. "Artificial intelligence is not merely a tool; it can give companies a critical competitive advantage. Westinghouse is demonstrating what's possible."
As part of this collaboration, Westinghouse and Google Cloud have successfully achieved a first-of-a-kind proof of concept leveraging Westinghouse's 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.
Idaho National Laboratory collaborates with Microsoft to streamline nuclear licensing
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Idaho National Laboratory collaborates with Microsoft to streamline nuclear licensing
view moreCredit: Idaho National Laboratory
(IDAHO FALLS, Idaho) — The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft) have announced a collaboration to use Microsoft’s Azure cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to streamline the nuclear permitting and licensing application process.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy through the National Reactor Innovation Center provided funding for the project.
“This is a big deal for the nuclear licensing process,” said Jess Gehin, associate laboratory director for Nuclear Science and Technology at Idaho National Laboratory. “Introducing AI technologies will enhance efficiency and accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.”
INL will leverage a Microsoft-developed solution built with Azure AI services to generate engineering and safety analysis reports, which are standard reports submitted as a part of applications for construction permits and operating licenses for nuclear power plants.
For reactor developers, generating these large, detailed reports is typically a time-consuming and expensive process that requires compiling safety data and language from multiple sources. The Azure AI-powered solution will help streamline and accelerate the review process.
The technology is designed to ingest and analyze nuclear engineering and safety documents, and generate documentation required by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and DOE for nuclear licensing.
The tool does not perform analyses on the documents but rather automates the process of constructing licensing documents for subsequent human verification.
“Artificial intelligence technologies can enable a new frontier of innovation and advancement by automating routine processes, accelerating development and freeing scientists and researchers to focus on the real complex challenges affecting our society,” said Heidi Kobylski, vice president for Federal Civilian Agencies, Microsoft. “We are honored to collaborate with INL to help address the complicated process of nuclear licensing to potentially help speed the approval of nuclear reactors necessary to support our increasing energy demands.”
The tool has wide applicability for nuclear energy-related licensing, including new light water reactors and upgrades to existing light water reactors. The Azure AI-powered solution could be especially useful for licensing advanced reactors, which often have different designs, fuels, coolants and materials than the conventional reactors typically reviewed by the NRC. The technology can generate reports for any nuclear facility licensed through NRC or DOE authorization, including nuclear energy test facilities.
“AI holds significant potential to accelerate the process to design, license, and deploy new nuclear energy for the nation’s increasing energy needs,” said Chris Ritter, division director of Scientific Computing and AI at INL. “INL looks forward to early research to evaluate the applicability of generative AI in the nuclear licensing space.”
The latest AI tool is not the first collaboration between INL and Microsoft. In 2023, INL and Idaho State University (ISU) nuclear engineering students developed the world’s first nuclear reactor digital twin — a virtual replica of ISU’s AGN-201 reactor — using the company’s Azure cloud computing platform.
NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS:
Sarah Neumann, 208-526-0490, sarah.neumann@inl.gov
Addison Arave, 208-526-7369, addison.arave@inl.gov
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