Tenders submitted in UK SMR selection process

There were initially six companies shortlisted by Great British Nuclear (GBN), the arms-length body set up to oversee the UK's plans for new nuclear, with the four shortlisted companies - Holtec and Westinghouse are the other two - entering negotiations last September. In February, the four SMR vendors were issued with an Invitation to Submit Final Tenders.

The aim is for GBN to select up to three of the technologies, with the intention of supporting the deployment of multiple units of a company's SMRs at a site. GBN currently owns land for potential new nuclear at Wylfa in Anglesey in North Wales, and at Oldbury in Gloucestershire in southwest England, but other sites could also be chosen.

GE Hitachi is putting forward its BWRX-300, a boiling water reactor, Holtec's SMR-300 is a 300 MWe pressurised water reactor, the Rolls-Royce SMR is a 470 MWe pressurised water reactor and Westinghouse's AP300 is a 300 MWe/900 MWt pressurised water reactor. They all stress that their designs are based on existing technologies and will be able to be constructed at speed and benefit from modular production techniques.

Commenting on the submission of its tender, Andy Champ, GE Hitachi's UK Country Leader, said: "The government has a unique opportunity to position the UK at the forefront of delivering the next generation of nuclear power and this submission marks a significant step forward in achieving this goal. The BWRX-300 offers a simplified, safe, and scalable design, backed by a proven track record of advancing SMR technology internationally. Together with our strategic investment partners, we are eager to bring this expertise to the UK."

Rolls-Royce SMR CEO Chris Cholerton said: "I am grateful for the dedication and teamwork of everyone at Rolls-Royce SMR who has contributed to our submission. We have a world-class team behind a market-leading product, and I am confident we have provided a compelling offer to GBN, to partner with them in delivering the next generation of nuclear power for the UK."

In February, GBN said it remains on track to select the chosen technology before the summer. A final investment decision is expected to be taken in 2029.

In an interview early last year for the World Nuclear News podcast, GBN Chairman Simon Bowen said the intention was to place contracts with one, two or three technology providers - this would be for co-funding the technology all the way through to completion of the design, regulatory, environmental and site-specific permissions process, and the potential to place a contract for the supply of equipment. Each selected technology would have an allocated site with the potential to host multiple SMRs.