Rolls-Royce SMR has been chosen to build the United Kingdom’s first fleet of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The project is intended to generate 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of electricity, as per the government.

“Rolls-Royce SMR is progressing through the final stage of the assessment by the UK nuclear industry’s independent regulators,” said the government in a press release. 

The state-owned company Great British Energy – Nuclear named Rolls-Royce as the preferred bidder following a two-year procurement process. The SMRs are expected to produce enough electricity to power around 3 million homes.

“By selecting a preferred bidder, we are taking a decisive step toward delivering clean, secure, and sovereign power,” asserted Simon Bowen, Chairman of Great British Energy – Nuclear.

“The biggest nuclear rollout for a generation will support the clean power mission – boosting energy security and protecting families’ finances,” added the government.

Broader nuclear strategy includes SMRs

This decision is part of a broader government focus on nuclear power, which also includes a £14.2 billion ($19 billion) investment for the large Sizewell C power station in Suffolk.

“As part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy to revive Britain’s industrial heartlands, the government is pledging over £2.5 billion for the overall small modular reactor programme in this Spending Review period – with this project potentially supporting up to 3,000 new skilled jobs and powering the equivalent of around 3 million homes with clean, secure homegrown energy,” highlighted the press release.

Unlike traditional nuclear plants built entirely on-site, SMRs involve manufacturing modules in a factory. These factory-produced “modules” will then be assembled at the final location. This approach aims to make nuclear plant construction cheaper, simpler, and reduce the costly delays that have affected other projects, such as Hinkley Point C.

“SMRs are smaller and quicker to build than traditional nuclear plants, with costs likely to come down as units are rolled out,” remarked the government.

The SMR approach is currently unproven globally, with no fully operational sites. However, Rolls-Royce states its chosen pressurized water reactor technology is well understood. The company expects to begin generating power by 2032 at the earliest. Data centers for technology companies are a key target customer for this new energy source.

Project timelines and future impact

Great British Energy – Nuclear plans to finalize contracts with Rolls-Royce SMR later this year and establish a development company. They also aim to allocate a site this year, with projects expected to connect to the grid in the mid-2030s. 

Once SMRs and Sizewell C are online in the 2030s, along with the new station at Hinkley Point C, the grid is slated to receive more nuclear power than it has in the past fifty years.

“Together with Rolls-Royce SMR, our selected preferred bidder, and subject to government approvals and contract signature, we will deliver a programme that is technically world-class and delivers real value to the British people—through energy security, economic opportunity, and environmental leadership,” concluded Gwen Parry-Jones, CEO of Great British Energy – Nuclear.