In a first-of-its-kind move, Westinghouse Electric Company and Google Cloud have teamed up to leverage artificial intelligence for streamlining nuclear reactor construction.
Their AI-powered tools autonomously generate and optimise modular work packages for advanced reactors.
The collaboration pairs Westinghouse’s proprietary HiVE™ and bertha™ nuclear AI solutions with Google Cloud technologies such as Vertex AI, Gemini, and BigQuery.
Vertex AI is Google’s platform for building and deploying machine learning models, Gemini is its most advanced generative AI model, and BigQuery is a scalable, serverless data warehouse.
When AI meets atoms
Used together, these tools can analyse large volumes of data, power generative AI applications, and help automate complex engineering workflows, such as those involved in modular nuclear reactor construction.
According to the companies, this combination will not only accelerate the deployment of Westinghouse’s AP1000® modular reactors but also enhance operations across 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 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.”
The two companies have already completed a successful proof of concept using Westinghouse’s WNEXUS digital plant design platform alongside HiVE AI and Google Cloud’s tools.
This proof of concept demonstrated the autonomous generation and optimisation of construction work packages specifically for AP1000 modular reactors, an effort aimed at turning what is typically a complex, labour-intensive process into a streamlined, repeatable workflow.
“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.”
From code to core
Westinghouse’s HiVE and bertha platforms underpin this AI-driven approach. First introduced in September 2024, HiVE is a nuclear-specific generative AI system built on more than seven decades of proprietary industry data.
Bertha – a large language model named after Bertha Lamme, Westinghouse’s first female engineer – is tailored for reactor lifecycle tasks such as maintenance planning, inspections, and digital workflows.
Together, the AI platforms are supported by dedicated nuclear engineers and are positioned to help plant operators deliver more reliable, cost-effective electricity to homes and businesses, whether through new AP1000 units, AP300™ small modular reactors, or eVinci® microreactor technologies.
The US nuclear sector has seen decades of limited growth, but rising electricity demand from data centres, electrification, and manufacturing is driving renewed interest.
While Westinghouse and Google Cloud aim to streamline new reactor construction, the companies have not disclosed deployment timelines for these AI-powered capabilities.