Wylfa in Anglesey, North Wales, will be the site for three new nuclear units from Rolls Royce SMR, the government has announced.
In June Rolls-Royce SMR was selected as the preferred bidder to partner with Great British Energy, at which time the government pledged over £2.5 billion for the overall SMR programme in this Spending Review period. The design was chosen over several from international SMR vendors. At that time Great British Energy – Nuclear said it would aim to connect projects to the grid in the mid-2030s.
Rolls Royce SMR’s plant is based on pressurised water reactor (PWR) technology, which is similar to that used at Hinkley Point and Sizewell, but the unit capacity at 440MW. The Welsh plants could be among a series built in Europe, as the company says the design has already been selected by ČE to deliver up to 3GW of electricity in the Czech Republic. In Sweden, it said the design is in the final two SMRs in a technology selection process.
Chris Cholerton, Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce SMR, said: “We are honoured to have the opportunity to establish our UK fleet programme with an initial three units at the Wylfa site. Today’s announcement marks the first step in what will be a 100-year commitment to clean energy, innovation, and community partnership at Wylfa.”
He added, “This is a tremendous opportunity not just for North Wales but for the whole country, as we establish an enduring supply chain that will enable our fleet deployment in the UK and a large export programme, starting in Czechia. We will deliver nuclear power very differently by utilising modularisation and a high level of factory build, therefore minimising the impact on local people from infrastructure delivery. We are excited to be working with the local community to create jobs and growth.”
Simon Bowen, Chair of Great British Energy-Nuclear, said: “These first SMRs at Wylfa will lay the groundwork for a fleet-based approach to nuclear development, strengthening the UK’s energy independence and bringing long-term investment to the local economy”.
DESNZ also noted that Great British Energy-Nuclear owns the Oldbury nuclear site in Gloucestershire. It said, “As a site which has previously hosted a nuclear power station, it also has great potential for new nuclear, including the potential to support the privately-led projects being developed by the nuclear industry”.
Zoe Stollard, Partner at Browne Jacobson, said: “This marks a significant milestone for the UK’s nuclear ambitions and energy security, demonstrating renewed confidence following Hitachi’s withdrawal from this site in 2019.” She added, “Success will be built on robust financial frameworks, sustained political commitment, and investment in skills development and supply chain capacity.”