The Manchester based Rolls-Royce subsidiary was selected as the preferred technology partner in June 2025, with £2.6bn allocated in the 2025 Spending Review to enable this contract and wider programme delivery.
In November 2025 PM Keir Starmer announced that three SMRs will be sited at Wylfa, on Anglesey coast in North Wales. That followed the news in July that Czech utility CEZ Group had signed an early works agreement enabling the launch of site work in Czechia for Rolls-Royce SMR to provide up to 3GW of nuclear power.
Today’s (April 13, 2026) two-stage contract with GBE-N will enable site-specific design activity and preparations for the site build at Wylfa, as well as allowing Rolls-Royce SMR to order long lead-time equipment from the supply chain.
In a statement, Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO, Rolls-Royce, said: “This is a critical milestone for Rolls-Royce SMR, for Rolls-Royce and for the UK as the government looks to realise its ambition of a ‘golden age’ of new nuclear.
“It is a vote of confidence in our unique nuclear capabilities and further evidence that the strategic choices we have made in the transformation of Rolls-Royce are delivering. It also provides crucial contractual certainty in our domestic market that will unlock the opportunity to deploy a global fleet of Rolls-Royce SMRs.
“Rolls-Royce SMR now has multiple commitments in Europe and is well placed to become a market leader globally. As activity ramps up in the UK and in the Czech Republic, these projects are already generating returns.”
“The team in Rolls-Royce SMR have an unrivalled track record in nuclear design, regulatory engagement, manufacturing and assembly and I would like to thank them for their hard work and dedication in getting to this important stage.”
According to GBE-N, the three-unit project will generate at least 1.4GWe for over 60 years.