Deeside one of six locations shortlisted for first small nuclear reactor factory

The first factory that will build a fleet of small modular reactors (SMRs) could be located in Deeside.

A Rolls-Royce-led consortium has revealed a shortlist of six sites for its first mini nuclear reactor factory.

Deeside is vying with Sunderland, Richmond, Ferrybridge in West Yorkshire, Stallingborough, and Lincolnshire for the factory which will bring an investment of up to £200m and create 200 direct jobs.

The factory will build components for SMRs before being transported to nuclear sites around the country for rapid assembly.

Rolls-Royce said a technical team had reviewed the suitability of the sites based on criteria including accessibility to major road networks, relevant local skills and local incentives for the deployment of on-site renewable power generation.

The Rolls-Royce-led consortium wants to build 16 SMRs – based on small pressurised water reactors – each with a generation capacity of 470 MWe.

The consortium aims to complete its first unit in the early 2030s and build up to 10 by 2035.

Under the plans, the reactors will be built in factories around the country and then assembled on site, reducing the risks and huge costs of construction of big nuclear power plants.

The winning site will build the heavy-pressure vessels that are part of the reactor power station. Construction will begin once Rolls-Royce SMR receives the go-ahead to build a fleet of SMRs.

Tom Samson, Rolls-Royce SMR chief executive, said the level of the response “shows the ambition and appetite of the UK to build and operate a fleet of SMRs which will provide affordable, low-carbon electricity for generations to come”.

“The final location would come from the shortlist and “result in significant investment, long-term high-skilled jobs and will support the UK government’s aspirations for levelling-up”, he added.

Source: FT 

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