Leadership in Commercial and Advanced Nuclear Energy Projects
With over 40 years in the nuclear industry, George Vanderheyden has 26 years of experience managing 27 Generation 2 and 3 U.S. nuclear reactors and 17 years specializing in the development of Generation 3+ and 4 advanced nuclear energy projects. As Vice President at Exelon, he oversaw nuclear operations across the eastern U.S., developing and implementing proprietary management models that achieved industry-leading performance. He later worked for the largest nuclear operator in the world, Electricity de France, where he was serving as CEO and Chief Nuclear Officer of a U.S. based joint venture with Constellation Energy, pursuing the development of Generation 3+ nuclear technology.
As CNO of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), he was responsible for all nuclear aspects of the $30B+ and 20,000 personnel ENEC Barakah Project in the UAE, the largest nuclear development outside China, He also served as CEO of Nawah where he was responsible for establishing the Nuclear Operating Company, which now operates three (soon four) of the largest Gen 3+ reactors in the world.
Most recently, he served as CNO and Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations at X-energy, where he led the licensing, development, and construction of the Xe-100 Generation 4 modular reactors under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Development Program. He retired in April 2023 after a distinguished career in advancing nuclear technology and operations.
Areas of Expertise:
Leadership in Commercial and Advanced Nuclear Energy Projects
Executive Roles at Major Nuclear Operators
Expertise in Nuclear Reactor Operations and Performance Optimization
Development and Execution of Proprietary Management Models
Large-Scale Project Management
Regulatory Compliance and Licensing (U.S. DOE, NRC)
Expertise in Modular Reactor Development
International Nuclear Project Leadership