Sites across the country form part of a new atomic energy network which could power 8 million homes.
SGE, an established European Small Nuclear Reactor (SMR) development and investment platform, has laid out plans to build 14 GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 facilities across Britain.
The application, submitted under the UK’s Advanced Nuclear Framework, details proposals for a 4.2GW fleet capable of providing 11% of the country’s total energy needs. This is equivalent to 8 million residential homes. The sites would have a lifespan of 60 years.
‘The submission of our application under the Advanced Nuclear Framework marks a major milestone in our ambition to develop a fleet of BWRX-300 small modular reactors across the UK and the European Union,’ said Rafal Kasprów, CEO of SGE.
‘The United Kingdom is one of Europe’s most important and capable nuclear markets, with a highly skilled workforce, a strong industrial base, and a strategic need to lead the next generation of nuclear deployment,’ they continued. ‘With a clear requirement for substantial new nuclear capacity over the coming decades, we believe our approach can make a meaningful contribution at scale. Standardisation, repetition, modularisation, and a fleet deployment strategy are the most effective ways to deliver new nuclear projects successfully, reducing costs, construction risk, and delivery times.’
In order to press on with the 14 reactors, SGE has established a dedicated project vehicle just for Britain, SGE SMR UK Limited. The technology will be established at three multi-unit sites, with a father two locations then following once the initial rollout is underway. A similar system is already being deployed in Canada, and once online will be the first SMR to operate in the OECD.
‘SGE’s vision reflects the growing momentum behind new nuclear across Europe and the critical role SMRs can play in strengthening energy security while delivering reliable, lower-carbon electricity,’ said Jason Cooper, CEO of GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy. ‘With construction already underway at the Darlington New Nuclear Project in Ontario, Canada, the first commercial-scale SMR under construction in the Western world, the BWRX-300 offers the confidence that comes from real project execution. We are proud to support SGE as they pursue this important opportunity in the UK.’
Image: Hal Gatewood / Unsplash
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