A Rolls-Royce led consortium has been chosen to develop small modular reactor (SMR) technology in the United Kingdom. Rolls-Royce SMR was chosen as the winning bidder in the Great British Nuclear (GBN) small modular reactor competition.
The government competition to develop SMRs was announced by Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in 2023, with four shortlisted bidders - Rolls-Royce, Westinghouse, Holtec Britain and GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy – asked to submit final tenders in February this year.
In a press release Rolls-Royce said it had been selected to build three SMR units in the UK with the project set to create thousands of jobs, boost supply chains, and drive economic growth. The selection marks a step forward for the technology, although SMRs are not likely to be up and running in the UK until the 2030s.
Rolls-Royce SMR Chief Executive, Chris Cholerton, said: “This is a day to celebrate a milestone achievement. This success is testament to our incredible team which has developed a world-leading technology and worked tirelessly over the last two years to ensure we could provide a winning tender to GBN”.
Adding: “As well as delivering affordable, clean energy to support our nation’s energy independence – deploying three of our units will drive domestic growth by creating thousands of highly skilled, well-paid jobs and supply chain opportunities. We are the only SMR company with multiple commitments to build projects in Europe, testament to our differentiated design and compelling offer”[i].
Rolls-Royce SMR had already been selected to deliver up to 3 GW of electricity in the Czech Republic, and is currently bidding to supply energy in Sweden, where Rolls-Royce SMR is one of the final two SMRs in their technology selection process. In addition, Rolls-Royce SMR is progressing through the final stage of the assessment by the UK nuclear industry’s independent regulators – further ahead than any other SMR technology. The entity states that each Rolls-Royce SMR ‘factory-built’ nuclear power plant will generate enough stable low-carbon electricity to power a million homes for 60+ years, using a ‘radically new approach to deploying proven nuclear technology’[ii].
The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Association) defines Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) as “Advanced nuclear reactors that have a power capacity of up to 300 MW(e) per unit, which is about one-third of the generating capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors.”[iii]
These devices are not only a fraction of the size of a conventional nuclear power reactor, but their modular design means that their systems and components can be factory-assembled and transported as a unit to a location for installation, this makes them more cost-effective and offer time-savings in their deployment.
Further, given their smaller footprint, SMRs can be sited on locations not suitable for larger nuclear power plants. According to the IAEA, repurposing coal plants with SMRs could be one way to support fast roll-out. Their generation capacity, between 200 MWe and 400 MWe, is similar to that of a typical coal fired plant, therefore these SMRs could be deployed to use existing grid connections on decommissioned coal powerplant sites. Benefits of such proposals include avoiding the necessary land acquisition for the SMR plant, the presence of existing water sources, established grid connections, as well as rail and road connectivity[iv].
Source: IAEA[v]
The UK Government previously stated that developers of SMRs may well want to co-locate them with energy-intensive sites such as industrial clusters or data centres that support artificial intelligence (AI). It has confirmed that restrictions for nuclear development will still apply near densely populated areas and military sites.
[i] Rolls-Royce SMR will build Britain’s next generation of nuclear power plants | Rolls-Royce SMR
[ii] Rolls-Royce SMR set up for success in Great British Nuclear competition | Rolls-Royce SMR
[iii] What are Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)? | IAEA
[iv] Repurposing Fossil Fuel Power Plant Sites with SMRs | IAEA
[v] What are Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)? | IAEA
Lauren has extensive experience as an analyst and market researcher in the digital technology and travel sectors. She has a background in researching and forecasting emerging technologies, with a particular passion for the Videogames and eSports industries. She joined the Critical Information Group as Head of Reports and Market Research at GRC World Forums, and leads the content and data research team at the Zero Carbon Academy. “What drew me to the academy is the opportunity to add content and commentary around sustainability across a wealth of industries and sectors.”
