UK Nuclear Pipeline: SMRs Assemble Delivery Teams

Courtesy of Rolls-Royce SMR

A rendering of a proposed Rolls-Royce small modular reactor shows the compact, modular plant layout the company is advancing as part of a U.K. SMR program that is separate from the Sizewell C nuclear project.

The U.K.'s nuclear expansion is advancing in parallel with Sizewell C through the development of small modular reactors.

Rolls-Royce SMR said Jan. 20 that it has added Germany-based HOCHTIEF as a global project delivery partner, working alongside Amentum, the Chantilly, Va.-based U.S. Energy Dept. contractor, as the company prepares its SMR program for potential deployment in the U.K. and other markets. The company said the expanded delivery team is intended to strengthen constructability, scheduling and delivery planning as projects move toward site selection and regulatory approval.

According to the company, Amentum brings nuclear program management and regulatory experience, while HOCHTIEF adds large-scale construction and delivery expertise, including planning for modularized construction approaches central to the SMR concept. The roles are focused on delivery readiness rather than site execution, reflecting the program's current development stage.

The SMR program is separate from the Sizewell C project, which is a large-scale, twin-reactor EPR development already under construction under a regulated asset base financing model. However, both efforts reflect the U.K. government's broader nuclear strategy, which combines large reactors for baseload capacity with smaller, factory-built designs intended to offer greater siting flexibility and potentially shorter build schedules.

Rolls-Royce SMR has previously been selected by the U.K. government as the preferred SMR technology developer and is advancing its design through the U.K. nuclear regulatory review process. First U.K. deployments are expected to follow completion of regulatory approvals and site selection, placing the SMR program several years behind Sizewell C in the delivery pipeline, based on public project timelines.

By Bryan Gottlieb