X-energy Announces George Vanderheyden as Chief Nuclear Officer

X-energy Announces George Vanderheyden as Chief Nuclear Officer

As CNO of X-energy, Mr. Vanderheyden is responsible for leading X-energy’s efforts to safely deploy X-energy’s generation 4+ High Temperature Gas Reactor plants in North America and Internationally.

“George is a perfect fit to lead the continued evolution of our company. He has built large commercial nuclear organizations, his credentials at making nuclear projects a reality couldn’t be better timed for where we are at X-energy.”

J. Clay Sell, CEO of X-energy

“George is a perfect fit to lead the continued evolution of our company. He has built large commercial nuclear organizations, his credentials at making nuclear projects a reality couldn’t be better timed for where we are at X-energy.” said J. Clay Sell, CEO of X-energy. 

“His addition to the X-energy team has strengthened our ability to negotiate large contracts as well as manage new nuclear joint ventures / consortiums required for the development, construction and eventual operation programs of X-energy’s, Xe-100.”

Mr. Vanderheyden managed a simultaneous 4- unit, $20 billion, 20,000 personnel EPC Contract while at the UAE’s nuclear program. The international consortium included some of the largest nuclear constructors and companies in the world; from Korea Electric Power Company ($13.9B USD Market Cap.) as the developer, to Hitachi Heavy Industries ($8B USD Market Cap.) and Samsung Corporation ($19.4B USD Market Cap. ) as the construction consortium. Importantly, the owner Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) had a 5 year, $5B USD development program spanning site preparation, cooling water, and electrical interconnection all done with local contractors. Mr. Vanderheyden was also responsible for all QA / QC, PMO, schedule oversight, consortium performance meetings and the semi-annual claims process of the construction program.

Previous to ENEC, as the CEO of UniStar Nuclear Energy, Mr. Vanderheyden managed a $1.2B Joint Venture between Constellation Energy ($7B USD Market Cap.) and Electricite de France ($40.3B USD Market Cap.) that had 4 -1400 MW new nuclear projects under development. Mr. Vanderheyden’s team negotiated a standard EPCM – Target Price contract between the four owners and a consortium of Bechtel Corporation ($40B in revenues as a private company) and AREVA ($2B USD Market Cap.). Similar to the UAE, this contract included significant owners work prior to construction as well as significant owners participation in delivering portions of the qualified workforce for start-up testing and commissioning to the developer / construction consortium.

Mr. Vanderheyden also serves as Senior Vice President, of Commercial Operations, overseeing X-energy’s development of new business models, international management systems, strategic partnerships and business improvement plans.

“I’m honored to join X-energy at a time when the company is growing rapidly, signing new customers, and evolving it’s business models,” said Mr. Vanderheyden “It’s the perfect intersection of my previous new-nuclear experience complementing an incredible business opportunity. Nuclear and it's always-on carbon-free energy is an innovation worth celebrating and I couldn't be more excited to be a part of X-energy's innovative approach.”

Mr. Vanderheyden previously served as CNO of Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and CEO of Nawah Energy in the United Arab Emirates assisting that country in implementing new nuclear energy into a country where it had never existed. He was the driving force behind creating management models and management systems in a new operating company that met federal and international standards. Closer to X-energy’s home office in Rockville MD, he was the past Vice President at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant when it set 3-year consecutive generation records, achieved the highest industry safety rating, and became the lowest-cost nuclear generator in the country.

Mr. Vanderheyden holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Illinois University in Nuclear Engineering Technology as well as being a past Senior Reactor Operator licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of the United States. He is a Board Member for Next Level Cx Solutions, Inc. that specializes in Start-up Testing & Commissioning. He was a member of IBEW Local 15 for five years.

About X-energy

X-energy is redefining nuclear energy. It manufactures fuel that seals uranium particles in a protective coating, which makes meltdown impossible and retains the uranium fuel inside forever. X-energy also designs plants that unlock the fuel's energy potential in a process that's as clean as wind or solar. When combined, the result is reliable carbon-free baseload power, produced more safely and affordably than ever before and available anywhere, at any time.

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