Report urges government to back UK SMR programme

News

Small modular reactors could produce energy for as low as £60 per MW/h and lower the cost of electricity for consumers, according to a report published today.

SMR

The report, issued by Rolls-Royce and its partners in a UK Small Modular Reactor (SMR) consortium, says these benefits could be realised if government was to back an SMR programme for the UK that could compete on price with wind and solar and bring down the cost of nuclear-generated power.

The study - UK SMR: A National Endeavour - urges ministers to support the development of British-manufactured power plants, which could create 40,000 skilled jobs, contribute £100bn to the economy and open up a potential £400bn global export market.

The report argues that, through its approach to modular construction, the UK SMR programme is well placed to avoid the complexities, delays and overspends associated with infrastructure projects.

In a statement, Harry Holt, president of Nuclear at Rolls-Royce, said: “The UK has never had a greater need for low cost, low carbon, safe, secure and reliable energy production. With demand for energy set to rise in the near future – in part due to the growing popularity of electric cars – we believe that a UK SMR programme is a vital addition to our national infrastructure.

Register now to continue reading

Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.  

Benefits of registering

  • In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends

  • Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year

  • Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address