05:13 PM EDT, 10/23/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Aecon Group ( AEGXF ) , after trade Thursday said Cascade Nuclear Partners, a joint venture between Aecon ( AEGXF ), Kiewit, and Black & Veatch, is finalizing talks with Energy Northwest to design, plan, and build the first four of 12 Xe-100 small modular reactors (SMRs) under a progressive design-build model.

Developed by X-energy, each Xe-100 SMR will generate 80 megawatts of power. The initial phase, known as the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility, will produce up to 320 megawatts and be built next to Energy Northwest's Columbia Generating Station near Richland, Washington, the company said.

Energy Northwest signed a multi-year agreement with Amazon in 2024 to conduct environmental, safety, and regulatory studies for the SMR project. Construction is expected to begin by the end of the decade, with operations planned for the 2030s, according to the statement.

Aecon ( AEGXF ) and its partners are also building North America's first grid-scale SMR at Ontario Power Generation's Darlington site, the company added.

Aecon ( AEGXF ) shares closed up $0.71 to $25.37 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.