Westinghouse is set to build the UK’s first privately funded fleet of small modular nuclear reactors in a deal with Community Nuclear Power, the country’s only independent SMR developer, the UK-based firm said.
The deal is for the construction of four SMRs in North East England of the Westinghouse AP300 design. Jacobs Solutions will develop the project license in 2027 with a commercial operation within 10 years. Community Nuclear Power also works with financial advisor Interpath Advisory.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
If completed, the project would also be Britain’s first deployment of next-generation nuclear technology, the first build of the AP300 design and the first privately funded SMR deployment in Europe, Community Nuclear Power said.
“The components and agreements necessary to make this innovative proposal happen – land, capacity, technology, private equity financing and community demand – are in place,” the company said in an online release.
“The project brings together Westinghouse’s proven technology and mature supply chain with our extensive experience in delivering nuclear programs in a region that is transforming its industrial landscape.” said Paul Foster, CEO of Community Nuclear Power.
The design receives a government review
Westinghouse also said this week that it formally submitted an application to UK government regulators to begin a global assessment of the AP300 design, the first step in the formal licensing process in the UK.
The US manufacturer unveiled the design last year, which uses its existing advanced Generation III+ technology that already has regulatory approval in the UK, US and China, and meets European standards for power plants nuclear The AP300 is based on the Westinghouse AP1000 large reactor technology in operation worldwide. It uses engineering, components and a larger plant supply chain that would streamline licensing and substantially reduce project delivery risk, Westinghouse said.
The AP300 was one of six designs selected to progress in the UK competition to support the development of small modular reactors to revive nuclear power in the country.
Designs submitted by France-based EDF, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy International LLC, Holtec Britain Ltd., NuScale Power and Rolls Royce SMR were also chosen for the next phase of the competition. The government said companies will soon be invited to submit formal bids.
The EDF/AREVA UK EPR, Westinghouse AP1000, Hitachi-GE UK ABWR and CGN/EDF/GNI UK HPR1000 design reviews have now been completed. One is underway for the Rolls-Royce SMR design, and GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy said in January that its BWRX-300 SMR design will soon enter production.
UK publishes nuclear roadmap
The project is fully aligned with the government’s roadmap published on January 11 to develop 24 GW of SMR generation by 2050, Community Nuclear said. The UK is also exploring building another large 3.2 GW nuclear power station and will invest nearly $380 million to produce HALEU uranium fuel to power new nuclear reactors in the early 2030s. Currently the fuel is produced commercially only in Russia.
“We are making the biggest investment in domestic nuclear power in 70 years. From large gigawatt projects to small modular reactors, the UK’s wider nuclear renaissance will quadruple our nuclear capacity by 2050,” said Claire Coutinho, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
The government also outlined a new approach to siting future nuclear power plants and another to encourage private investment in advanced nuclear projects in locations other than those designated by the government.
“Our plans will give investors the confidence to back new UK projects, with a simpler process and clear support for private sector companies developing innovative new technologies,” said Nuclear Minister Andrew Bowie.
The Community Nuclear project is at a specialist site supporting the development of a chemical and green energy hub to produce e-fuels and e-chemicals.
